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I 


G 

The  Priest,  The  Woman 

and 

The  Confessional, 


By  FATHER  CHINIQUY. 

AVTHOR  OF  “fifty  YEARS  IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  ROMR/ 


CHICAGO: 

The  Craig  Press,  178-182  Monroe  Street. 


1892 


riM,  ;fi 


J 


Copyright,  1880,  by 
Rey.  Charles  Chiniou 


y 


j 


C6PEP3- 


BlOGRAPHICAIi  . . • • . c . 5 

Declaratiox  o o - • . o . . 16 

Preface  . o . 19 

CHAPTER  I. 

The  Struggle  before  the  Surrender  of  Womanly  Self- 

respect  in  the  Confessional  . . . , c 21 

, CHAPTER  IL 

Auricular  Confession  a deep  Pit  of  Perdition  for  the 

Priest. - . . o 59 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  Confessional  is  the  Modern  Sodom  . » . 77 

CHAPTER  IV. 

How  the  Vow  of  Celibacy  of  the  Priests  is  made  easy  by 

Auricular  Confession  .......  87 

CHAPTER  V. 

^ The  highly-educated  and  refined  Woman  in  the  Confes- 
sional — What  beco\nes  of  her  after  unconditional 
surrender — Her  irre  parable  Ruin  . 

I I 79738 


98 


4 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  YI. 

Auricular  Confession  destroys  all  the  Sabred  Ties  of  Mar- 


riage and  Human  Society 117 

CHAPTER  YII. 

■Should  Auricular  Confession  be  tolerated  among  Civilized 

Nations? 160 


CHAPTER  YIII. 

Does  Auricular  Confession  bring  Peace  to  the  Soul?  . 17? 

CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Dogma  of  Auricular  Confession  a Sacrilegious  Im- 
posture . . . 209 

CHAPTER  X. 

«God  compels  the]  Church  of  Rome  to  confess  the  Abomi- 
nations of  Auricular  Confession  ....  242 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Auricular  Confession  in  Australia,  America,  and  France  260 

CHAPTER  XII. 

A Chapter  for  the  Consideration  of  Legislators,  Hus- 
bands, and  Fathers — Some  of  the  matters  on  which 
the  Prieat  of  Rome  must  question  his  Penitents  . 290 


BIOGRAPHICAL 


WP0  Ig  CPIPIPY? 


IjaP0^¥^NJF  0RI6IN^l!  D0CUJiIE]V¥3 

ESTABLISHING  THE  HIGH  CHARACTER  AND  STANDING  OF 
PASTOR  CHINIQUY  WHEN  IN  THE  CHURCH  OP  ROME. 


Mr.  Chiniquy  is  one  of  the  most  conspicuous 
champions  of  Protestantism  of  the  present 
day.  He  was  invited  to  Scotland  by  her  leading 
ecclesiastics  to  take  part  in  the  Tercentenary  of  the 
Reformation,  and  to  England  in  later  years,  when 
all  her  leading  Protestants  stood  forth  to  honor 
the  Emperor  William  of  Germany  and  Prince 
Bismarck  for  their  noble  resistance  to  Papal  pre- 
tensions to  authority  in  Germany.  He  then,  in 
1874,  addressed  the  great  gathering  in  Exeter  Hall, 
over  which  Lord  Russell  presided  ; and  afterwards, 
for  six  months,  lectured  throughout  England  on 


6 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


the  invitation  of  Ministers  of  every  Evangelical 
Denomination. 

Of  such  a man  with  such  a history  of  struggles, 
services  and  success,  the  Protestants  all  over  the 
world  need  not  be  ashamed. 

During  the  last  two  years  he  has  lectured  and 
preached  to  crowded  houses  in  Australia,  receiving 
from  the  clergy  and  people  of  that  country  many 
testimonials  of  their  esteem  and  regard  for  his 
valuable  services  in  the  cause  of  Protestantism. 

It  is  well  known  that  Father  Chiniquy  rose  into 
general  notoriety  in  Canada  as  an  Apostle  of  Tem- 
perance. But  long  before  this — when  a parish 
priest,  and  even  when  a student— he  was  held  in 
high  repute.  The  sketch  of  his  early  life  is  as  fol- 
lows : Born  at  Kamquraska,  Canada,  July  30,. 

1809.  His  father’s  name,  Cliarles  Cliiniquy,  his 
mother’s,  Heine  Perrault,  both  natives  of  Quebec. 
His  father  died  in  1821 ; his  mother  in  1830.  After 
his  father’s  death,  a rich  uncle,  by  name  Amable- 
Dionne,  a member  of  the  upper  House  of  Parlia- 
ment in  Canada,  who  had  married  his  mother’s 
sister,  took  him  in  charge,  and  sent  him  to  the 
College  of  St.  Nicholet,  with  which  he  was  con- 
nected from  1822  to  1833,  attaining  high  honors  as 
A linguist  and  mathematician.  His  moral  conduct 
got  him  the  name  among  his  fellow-students  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


7 


St.  Louis  Gonzaque  de  Nicliolet.  He  was  ordained 
a priest  in  1833,  in  the  Cathedral  of  Quebec,  by 
Bishop  Sinaie,  and  began  liis  ministry  at  St. 
Charles,  on  the  river  Berger,  Canada.  After  this 
he  was  Chaplain  to  the  Marine  Hospital,  and  there 
studied  under  Dr.  Douglas  the  effects  of  alcohol 
on  the  human  system.  He  became  convinced  that 
it  was  poisonous,  and  its  general  use  criminal.  He 
wrote  to  Father  Matthew,  of  Ireland,  and  soon 
after  started  the  Temperance  Crusade  among  the 
Roman  Catholics  of  Canada.  He  began  at  Beau- 
port,  where  he  was  parish  priest.  There  were  then 
seven  taverns  or  hotels,  but  no  school.  In  two 
years  he  had  seven  schools,  and  not  a single  tavern 
in  the  parish.  A Temperance  Column  was  erected 
in  that  town  to  commemorate  his  achievements  in 
this  good  work.  He  was  soon  transferred  to  the 
larger  parish  of  Karnouraska  ; but  he  shortly  gave 
up  his  parish  duties  and  transferred  his  headquar- 
ters to  Montreal,  to  devote  his  whole  time  to  the 
cause  of  temperance, — from  1846  to  1851.  As  the 
result,  all  the  distilleries  were  closed  except  two  in 
the  whole  Province. 

These  noble  efforts  were  publicly  acknowledged. 
We  refer  to  four  distinct  acts  of  recognition  among 
many.  The  first  is  the  Address  of  the  Indepen- 
dent Order  of  Rechabi^es  of  Canada,  and  dated 


8 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


Montreal,  31st  August,  1848,  with  Mr.  ChiniquyV 
reply.  It  is  creditable  to  the  Protestants  of  Lower 
Canada  that  they  so  honored  a priest  of  the  Church 
of  Rome  when  doing  a noble  work  for  the  general 
good  of  the  country.  Both  documents  are  worthy 
of  the  cause.  Instead  of  taking  glory  to  himselt 
for  this  success,  Mr.  Chiniquy  uses  these  words  in 
the  course  of  his  reply:  ‘‘Persuaded  that  this 

success  is  solely  the  work  of  God— to  Him  be  all 
the  glory!”  The  great  city  of  Montreal  was 
moved  to  gratitude,  and  a Gold  Medal  was  pre- 
sented to  him  in  the  name  of  the  city,  with  these 
words  on  one  side — 

To  Father  Chiniquy, 

Apostle  of  Temperance, 

Canada. 

And  on  the  other — 

Honor  to  his  Virtues, 

Zeal  and  Patriotism. 

The  Canadian  Parliament  moved  also  in  his 
honor,  and  voted  to  him  an  Address  and  Five 
Hundred  Pounds  as  a public  token  of  the  gratitude 
of  a whole  people. 

The  fame  of  his  labors  in  the  cause  of  Temper- 
ance reached  the  Pope,  and  through  an  aspiring 
priest  who  visited  Rome  about  that  period,  the 
Pope’s  Blessing  was  sent  to  Mr.  Chiniquy,  as  tes- 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


9 


tified  by  the  following  letter.  The  translations  are 
verbatim^  no  freedom  being  taken  to  render  them 
into  more  idiomatic  English  : — 

[translation] 

‘‘Rome,  10th  August,  1850. 

“ Sir,  and  very  Dear  Friend  : 

“It  is  only  Monday,  the  12th,  that  it  has  been 
given  me  to  have  a private  audience  with  the  Sov- 
ereign Pontiff.  I have  taken  the  opportunity  to 
present  to  him  your  book,  with  your  letter,  which 
he  has  received — I do  not  say  with  that  goodness 
which  is  so  eminently  characteristic — but  with  all 
special  marks  of  satisfaction  and  of  approbation, 
while  charging  me  to  state  to  you  that  He  accords 
HIS  Apostolic  Benediction  to  you  and  to  the  holy 
work  of  Temperance  which  you  preach. 

“ I esteem  myself  happy  to  have  had  to  offer 
on  your  behalf  to  the  Vicar  of  Jesus  Christ,  a book 
which,  after  it  had  done  so  much  good  to  my  coun- 
trymen, has  been  able  to  draw  from  his  venerable 
mouth  such  solemn  words  of  approbation  of  the 
Temperance  Society,  and  of  blessing  on  those  who 
are  its  apostles  ; and  it  is  also  for  my  heart  a very 
sweet  pleasure  to  transmit  them  to  you. 

“ Your  friend, 

“ Charles  T.  Baillargeon, 

Priest  y 

Following  this  we  give  the  general  circular  fur- 
nished to  him  by  the  Bishop  of  Montreal,  in  which 
he  is  designated  Apostle  of  Temperance. 

[translation.  ] 

Ignatius  Bourget. 

“ By  the  divine  mercy  and  grace  of  the  Holy 
Apostolic  See,  Bisliop  of  Marianopolis  (Montreal V 


10 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


To  all  wlio  would  inspect  the  present  Letter 
we  make  known  and  testify  : — That  the  venerable 
Charles  Chiniquy,  Apostle  of  Temperance,  Priest 
of  our  Diocese,  is  very  well  known  to  us,  and  re- 
gard him  as  proved  to  lead  a praiseworthy  life  and 
one  agreeable  to  his  ecclesiastical  profession  — 
through  the  tender  mercies  of  our  God  under  no 
ecclesiastical  censures,  at  least  which  have  come  to 
our  knowledge,  by  which  he  might  be  restricted. 
We  entreat  each  and  all  Archbishops,  Bishops  and 
other  dignitaries  of  the  Church,  to  whom  it  may 
happen  that  he  may  go,  that  they  for  the  love  of 
Christ  entertain  him  kindly  and  courteously,  and 
as  often  as  they  may  be  asked  by  him,  permit  him 
to  celebrate  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  and 
exercise  other  ecclesiastical  privileges  and  works 
of  piety.  We  showing  ourselves  ready  for  similar 
and  greater  things.  In  confidence  of  which  we 
have  ordered  the  present  general  Letter  to  be  pre- 
pared under  our  sign  and  seal,  and  with  the  sub- 
scription of  the  secretary  of  our  Episcopate  at 
Marianople,  in  our  Palace  of  the  Blessed  James» 
in  the  year  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty* 
on  the  sixth  day  of  the  month  of  June. 

‘‘f  Ignatius, 

Bishop  of  Marianopolis 
“ By  order  of  the  most  illustrious  and  most  rev 
erend  Bishop  of  Marianopolis,  D.  D. 

‘‘ J.  O.  Pare,  Canon, 

'''' Secretary  y 

His  high  position  was  now  universally  acknowl- 
edged, and  he  was  chosen  by  the  dignitaries  of  the 
Church  of  Rome  to  lead  a new  and  important 
movement.  It  was  to  take  possession  of  the  Val- 
ley of  the  Mississippi,  and  form  a new  Roman 


BIOGRArniCAL. 


11 


Catholic  colony  in  the  very  centre  of  the  Uriite(^ 
States.  The  Roman  Catholic  Bishop  of  Chicago^ 
Bishop  Yandevelt,  came  to  Canada  to  confer  with 
him  on  the  subject.  The  proposal  was  to  transfer 
thousands  of  French  Canadians,  zealous  Roman 
Catholics,  to  this  new  territory,  and  Fatlier  Chini- 
quy  was  to  conduct  the  enterprise  and  be  the  new 
champion  of  Rome.  He  accepted  the  offer.  He 
went  and  surveyed  the  land,  selected  the  territory, 
and  returning  to  Canada  took  over  to  the  new 
colony  a first  batch  of  five  thousand  emigrants,  all 
zealous  for  the  Church  in  this  new  movement. 

Before  finally  taking  up  his  quarters  in  St.  Anne, 
Kankakee,  State  of  Illinois,  the  seat  of  the  chosen 
colony,  he  requested  his  official  dismission  from  the 
diocese  of  Montreal,  with  which  he  had  been  con- 
nected for  the  five  previous  years.  We  give  the 
answer  in  full,  to  show  his  standing  when  he  left 
Canada  for  his  new  field. 

[translation.] 

‘‘Montreal,  13th  October,  1851. 

“ Sir: — You  ask  me  the  permission  to  leave  the 
diocese  to  go  to  offer  your  services  to  the  Monseig- 
neur of  Chicago.  As  you  belong  to  the  diocese  of 
Quebec,  I believe  that  it  appertains  to  Monseig- 
neur, the  Archbishop,  to  give  you  the  exeat  which 
you  ask.  For  me,  1 cannot  but  thank  you  for  your 
labors  among  us;  and  I wisli  you  in  return  the 
most  abundant  blessings  of  Heaven.  You  shall 


12 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


ever  be  in  my  remembrance  and  in  my  heart ; and 
I hope  the  Divine  Providence  will  permit  me  at  a 
future  time  to  testify  to  you  all  the  gratitude  that 
I feel  within  me.  Meanwhile, 

‘‘  I remain,  dear  sir. 

Your  very  humble  and  obedient  servant,, 
‘‘f  Ignatius, 

‘‘Bishop  of  Montreal. 

“Mr.  Chiniquy,  Priest.” 

Thus  he  left  Canada  in  the  highest  repute  with 
the  hierarchy  of  Rome.  But  a few  years  passed 
when  the  colony  had  expanded  to  the  occupation 
of  forty  square  miles,  and  thousands  were  still 
pouring  in,  not  only  from  Canada,  but  from  the 
Roman  Catholic  population  of  Europe.  But  in  an 
evil  day  for  Rome,  Bishop  Vandevelt  was  removed, 
and  an  Irish  Bishop,  O’Reagan,  took  his  place, 
and  at  once  began  to  obstruct  and  oppress  the 
French  settlers.  Here  we  state  to  Americans 
what  is  well  known  in  Canada,  that  the  French  and 
Irish  Roman  Catholics  seldom  agree — there  are 
violent  feuds  between  them.  The  violence,  oppres- 
sion and  injustice  of  the  Irish  Bishop  O’Reagan 
drove  Father  Chiniquy  into  resistance  and  to  ap- 
peals to  the  outside  Roman  Catholic  world  for 
redress  and  deliverance  from  oppression.  It  came 
even  to  the  Pope,  and  he  sent  Cardinal  Bedeni  to 
Chicago  to  investigate  the  dispute.  He  declared 
O’Reagan  to  be  in  the  wrong,  and  he  was  removed. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


13 


'and  Bishop  Smith,  of  Iowa,  took  O’Reagan’s  place. 
While  this  storm  was  raging,  God  was  opening  the 
feyes  of  Father  Chiniqiiy  more  and  more  to  the  real 
iDOStacy  of  the  modern  Papal  Church  from  the  old 
original  Christian  Church  of  Borne. 

The  hour  of  his  deliverance  was  approaching, 
imd  God  had  chosen  tlie  field  for  the  first  fierce  en- 
counter under  the  liberty  of  the  Stars  and  Stripes 
of  the  Eepublic  of  America.  Anywhere  else  he 
would  most  likely  be  crushed  to  earth,  but  here  he 
found  freedom,  and  a noble-hearted  advocate,  when 
fiercely  prosecuted,  in  the  person  of  ‘‘honest” 
Abraham  Lincoln,  afterwards  America’s  greatest 
President  since  the  days  of  Washington. 

To  show  that  up  to  the  time  of  his  severance 
irom  Borne  he  bore  the  highest  character,  the  fol- 
lowing letter,  from  Bishop  Baillargeon,  of  so  late 
a date  as  9th  May,  1856,  five  years  after  he  left 
Canada,  amply  proves. 

[translation.  ] 

“Archbishopric  of  Quebec,  9th  May,  1856. 

“ Miss  : — I send  you,  for  Mr.  Chiniquy,  an  or- 
nament [chasuble],  with  the  necessary  linen  from 
which  to  make  a cassock  ; and  a chalice ; the  whole 
indifferently  packed,  as,  I suppose,  you  will  find  a 
place  for  all  in  your  trunk.  And  I pray  God  to 
bless  you,  and  conduct  you  happily  in  your  journey. 
“ Four  devoted  servant,  C.  Bishop  of  Tloay 
“ To  Miss  Caroline  Descormers, 

^ ' Of  the  Convent  of  the  Ursulines  of  Three  Rivers.  ’ ’ 


14 


tiiOGfl^AyHlCAL. 


The  Bishop  sei^iis  by  a nun  of  the  Ursuline  Con- 
vent of  Three  Rivers  a present  to  Mr.  Chiniquy^ 
consisting  of  a chasuble,  or  the  embroidered  gar- 
ment with  a cross  on  the  back,  and  a pillar  in  front, 
worn  by  priests  ; materials  to  make  a cassock,  and 
a chalice  to  perform  Mass,  as  proofs  of  his  highest 
confidence  and  esteem.  Well  would  it  be  for  the 
honor  of  the  Church  of  Rome  if  she  had  many 
priests  like  him  in  the  ranks  of  her  clergy. 

We  now  give  the  declaration  of  Bishop  O’Rea- 
gan respecting  Mr.  Chiniquy’s  character,  as  sworn 
to  by  the  four  Roman  Catholics  whose  names  are 
appended.  This  written  reply  was  given  by  BisJiop 
O’Reagan  on  the  27th  August,  1856,  to  the  depu- 
tation who  waited  on  him.  This  has  been  pub- 
lished all  over  Canada,  in  French  and  Englisli,  in 
reply  to  certain  accusations  of  Vicar-General  Bru- 
yere : — 

1st.  I suspended  Mr.  Chiniquy  on  the  19th  of 
this  month. 

2nd.  If  Mr.  Chiniquy  has  said  Mass  since,  as 
you  say,  he  is  irregular ; and  the  Pope  alone  can 
restore  him  in  his  ecclesiastic  and  sacerdotal  lunc' 
tions. 

3rd.  I take  him  away  from  St.  Anne,  despiw 
his  prayers  and  yours,  because  he  he  has  not  hem? 
willing  to  live  in  peace  and  in  friendship  with  the 
Reverends  M.  L.  and  M.  L.,  although  I admit  they 
were  two  bad  Priests,  whom  I have  been  forced  to 
expel  from  my  diocese. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


15 


“ 4th.  My  second  reason  for  taking  Mr.  Chini- 
quy  away  from  St.  Anne,  to  send  him  in  his  new 
mission,  south  of  Illinois,  is  to  stop  the  lawsuit 
Mr.  Spink  has  instituted  against  him ; though  I 
cannot  warrant  that  the  law  suit  will  be  stopped  for 
that. 

“ 5th.  Mr.  Chiniquy  is  one  of  the  best  Priests 
of  my  diocese,  and  I do  not  want  to  deprive  my- 
self of  his  services  ; and  no  accusations  against  the 
morals  of  that  gentlemen  have  been  proved  before 
me, 

6th.  Mr.  Chiniquy  has  demanded  an  inquest, 
to  prove  his  innocence  of  certain  accusations  made 
against  him,  and  has  asked  me  the  names  of  his 
accusers  to  confound  them  ; and  I have  refused  it 
to  him. 

‘‘Yth.  Tell  Mr.  Chiniquy  to  come  and  meet 
me — to  prepare  himself  for  his  new  mission,  and  I 
will  give  him  the  letters  he  needs,  to  go  and  labor 
there. 

“ Then  we  withdrew  and  presented  the  foregoing 
letter  to  Father  Chiniquy. 

Frs.  Bechard, 

J.  B.  L.  Lemoine^ 

“ Basilique  Allair, 
Leon  Mailloux.” 

Nothing  more  can  be  wanted  to  establish  the 
moral  reputation  of  Mr.  Chiniquy,  so  long  as  he 
remained  in  the  Church  of  Pome. 


DECIi^PTI0]\[ 

TO  HIS  LORDSHIP  BOURGET,  BISHOP  OF  MONTREAL. 


‘‘  Sir, — 

‘‘  Since  God  has,  in  His  infinite  mercy,  beei» 
pleased  to  show  us  the  errors  of  Rome,  and  has 
given  us  strength  to  abandon  them  to  follow  Christ, 
we  deem  it  our  duty  to  say  a word  on  the  abomina 
tions  of  the  confessional.  You  well  know  that 
these  abominations  are  of  such  a nature  that  it  is 
impossible  for  a woman  to  speak  of  them  without 
a blush.  How  is  it  that  among  civilized,  Christian 
men,  one  has  so  far  forgotten  tlie  rule  of  common 
decency,  as  to  force  women  to  reveal  to  unmarried 
men,  under  the  pains  of  eternal  damnation,  their 
most  secret  thoughts,  their  most  sinful  desires,  and 
their  most  private  actions  ? 

‘‘How,  unless  there  be  a brazen  mask  on  your 
priest’s  face,  dare  they  go  out  into  the  world  hav- 
ing heard  the  tales  of  misery  which  cannot  but 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


17 


defile  tlie  liearer,  and  wliicli  the  woman  cannot  re^ 
late  without  having  laid  aside  modesty,  and  all 
sense  of  shame  ? The  harm  would  not  be  so  great 
should  the  Church  allow  no  one  but  the  woman  to 
accuse  herself.  But  what  shall  we  say  of  the 
abominable  questions  that  are  put  to  them  and 
which  they  must  answer  ? 

Here,  the  laws  of  common  decency  strictly  for- 
bid us  to  enter  into  details.  Suffice  it  to  say,  were 
husbands  cognizant  of  one-tenth  of  what  is  going 
on  between  the  confessor  and  their  wives,  they 
would  rather  see  them  dead  than  degraded  to  such 
a degree. 

As  for  us,  daughters  and  wives  of  Montreal, 
who  have  known  by  experience  the  filth  of  the 
confessional,  we  cannot  sufficiently  bless  God  for 
having  shown  us  the  error  of  our  ways  in  teaching 
ns  that  it  is  not  at  the  feet  of  a man  as  weak  and 
as  sinful  as  ourselves,  but  at  the  feet  of  Christ 
alone,  that  we  must  seek  salvation.” 

JuLiEN  Herbert,  Marie  Rogers, 

J.  Rochon.  Louise  Picard, 

Francoise  Diringer,  Eugenie  Martin, 
And  forty-three  others. 


I 

i 


I 


P^EF^CE. 


EZEKIEL. 

Chapter  VIII. 

1.  And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  sixth  j^ear,  in  the  sixth  month, 
in  the  fifth  day  of  the  month,  as  I sat  in  mine  house,  and  the 
elders  of  Judah  sat  before  me,  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord  God 
fell  there  upon  me. 

2.  Then  I beheld,  and  lo,  a likeness  as  the  appearance  of 
fire  ; from  the  appearance  of  his  loins  even  downward,  fire  ; 
and  from  his  loins  even  upward,  as  the  appearance  of  bright- 
ness, as  the  color  of  amber. 

3.  And  he  put  forth  the  form  of  an  hand,  and  took  me  by 
a lock  of  mine  head  ; and  the  spirit  lifted  me  up  between  the 
earth  and  the  heaven,  and  brought  me  in  the  visions  of  God  to 
Jerusalem,  to  the  door  of  the  inner  gate  that  looketh  toward 

he  north;  where  was  the  seat  of  the  image  of  jealousy,  which 
^rovoketh  to  jealousy. 

4.  And  behold,  the  glory  of  the  God  of  Israel  was  there, 
according  to  the  vision  that  I saw  in  the  plain. 

5.  If  Then  said  he  unto  me,  Son  of  man,  lift  up  thine  eyes 
now  the  way  toward  the  north.  So  I lifted  up  mine  eyes  the 
way  toward  the  north;  and  behold,  northward,  at  the  gate  of 
the  altar,  this  image  of  jealousy  in  the  entry. 

6.  He  said  furthermore  unto  me;  Son  of  man , seest  thou 
what  they  do? — even  the  great  abominations  that  the  house  of 
Israel  committeth  here,  that  I should  go  far  off  from  my  sanc- 
tuary? but  turn  thee  yet  again,  and  thou  shalt  see  greater 
abominations. 

7.  •[[  And  he  brought  me  to  the  door  of  the  court;  and 
when  I looked,  behold,  a hole  in  the  wall. 

8.  Then  said  he  unto  me,  Son  of  man,  dig  now  in  the  wall: 
and  when  I had  digged  in  the  wall,  behold,  a door. 

9.  And  he  said  unto  me.  Go  in,  and  behold  the  wicked 
abominati'^ns  that  they  do  here. 


20 


PREFACE. 


10.  So  I went  in  and  saw;  and,  behold,  every  form  of 
■creeping  things,  and  abominable  beasts,  and  all  the  idols  of  the 
house  of  Israel,  portrayed  upon  the  wall  round  about. 

11.  And  there  stood  before  them  seventy  men  of  the  an- 
cients of  the  house  of  Israel,  and  in  the  midst  of  them  stood 
Jaazaniah  the  son  of  Shaphan,  with  every  man  his  censer  in 
his  hand;  and  a thick  cloud  of  incense  went  up. 

12.  Then  said  he  unto  me,  Son  of  man,  hast  thou  seen  what 
the  ancients  of  the  house  of  Israel  do  in  the  dark,  every  man 
in  the  chambers  of  his  imagery  ? for  they  say.  The  Lord  seeth 
us  not;  the  Lord  hath  forsaken  the  earth. 

13.  IT  He  said  also  unto  me,  Turn  thee  yet  again,  and  thou 
shalt  see  greater  abominations  that  they  do. 

14.  Then  he  brought  me  to  the  door  of  the  gate  of  the 
Lord’s  house  which  was  toward  the  north;  and,  behold,  there 
sat  women  weeping  foi*  Tammuz. 

15.  ^ Then  said  he  unto  me.  Hast  thou  seen  this,  0 Son  of 
man?  turn  thee  yet  again,  and  thou  shalt  see  greater  abomina- 
tions than  these. 

16.  And  he  brought  me  into  the  inner  court  of  the  Lord’s. 
house,  and,  behold,  at  the  door  of  the  temple  of  the  Lord^ 
between  the  porch  and  the  altar,  ivere  about  five  and  twenty 
men,  with  their  backs  towards  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  and 
their  faces  toward  the  east;  and  they  worshipped  the  sun 
toward  the  east. 

17.  H Then  he  said  unto  me.  Hast  thou  seen  this,  0 Son 
of  man?  Is  it  a light  thing  to  the  house  of  Judah  that  they 
commit  the  abominations  which  they  commit  here?  for  they 
have  filled  the  land  with  violence,  and  have  returned  to  provoke 
me  to  anger;  and,  lo,  they  put  the  branch  to  their  nose. 

18.  Therefore  will  I also  deal  in  fury : mine  eye  shall  not 
spare,  neither  will  1 have  pity;  and  though  they  cry  in  min* 
oars  with  a loud  voice,  yet  will  I not  hear  them. 


UPripsf,  i$p  llfoinfln,  anb 
(lonfpssional. 

CHAPTER  I. 

THE  STEUGGLE  BEFOKE  THE  SUKRENDEE  OF  WOMANLT 
SELF-EESPECT  IN  THE  CONFESSIONAL. 

There  are  two  women  who  ought  to  be  con- 
stant objects  of  the  compassion  of  the  disci- 
ples of  Christ,  and  for  whom  daily  prayers  ought 
to  be  offered  at  the  mercy-seat—  the  Brahmin  wom- 
an, who,  deceived  by  her  priests,  bnrns  herself  on 
the  corpse  of  her  husband  to  appease  the  wrath  of 
her  wooden  gods  ; and  the  Roman  Catholic  woman, 
who,  not  less  deceived  by  her  priests,  suffers  a 
torture  far  more  cruel  and  ignominious  in  the  con- 
fessional-box, to  appease  the  wrath  of  her  wafer- 
god. 

For  I do  not  exaggerate  when  I say,  that  for 
many  noble-hearted,  well-educated,  high-minded 


22  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

women,  to  be  forced  to  unveil  their  hearts  before 
the  eyes  of  a man,  to  open  to  him  all  the  most  se* 
cret  recesses  of  their  souls,  all  the  most  sacred 
mysteries  of  their  single  or  married  life,  to  allow 
him  to  put  to  them  questions  which  the  most  de- 
praved woman  would  never  consent  to  hear  from 
her  vilest  seducer,  is  often  more  horrible  and  intol- 
erable than  to  be  tied  on  burning  coals. 

More  than  once,  I have  seen  women  fainting  in 
the  confessional-box,  who  told  me  afterwards,  that 
the  necessity  of  speaking  to  an  unmarried  man  on 
certain  things,  on  which  the  most  common  laws  of 
decency  ought  to  have  for  ever  sealed  their  lips, 
had  almost  killed  them ! Not  hundreds,  but 
thousands  of  times,  I have  heard  from  the  lips  of 
dying  girls,  as  well  as  of  married  women,  the 
awful  words;  “1  am  forever  lost ! All  my  past 
confessions  and  communions  have  been  so  many 
sacrileges  ! I have  never  dared  to  answer  correctly 
the. questions  of  my  confessors  ! Shame  has  sealed 
my  lips  and  damned  my  soul !” 

How  many  times  I remained  as  one  petrified,  by 
the  side  of  a corpse,  when  these  last  words  having 
hardly  escaped  the  lips  of  one  of  my  female  peni- 
tents, who  had  been  snatched  out  of  my  reach  by 
the  merciless  hand  of  death,  before  I could  give 
her  pardon  through  the  deceitful  sacramental  abso- 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  2? 

lution  ? I then  believed,  as  the  dead  sinner  herseli 
had  believed,  that  she  could  not  be  forgiven  except 
by  that  absolution. 

For  there  are  not  only  thousands  but  millions  ol 
Roman  Catholic  girls  and  women  whose  keen  sense 
of  modesty  and  womanly  dignity  are  above  all  the 
sophisms  and  diabolical  machinations  of  their 
priests.  They  never  can  be  persuaded  to  answer 
‘‘Yes”  to  certain  questions  of  their  confessors. 
They  would  prefer  to  be  thrown  into  the  flames, 
and  burnt  to  ashes  with  the  Brahmin  widows, 
rather  than  allow  the  eyes  of  a man  to  pry  into  the 
sacred  sanctuary  of  their  souls.  ( Though  some- 
times guilty  before  God,  and  under  the  impression 
that  their  sins  will  never  be  forgiven  if  not  con- 
fessed,  the  laws  of  decency  are  stronger  in  their 
hearts  than  the  laws  of  their  cruel  and  perfldious 
Church.  No  consideration,  not  even  the  fear  of 
eternal  damnation,  can  persuade  them  to  declare  fo 
a sinful  man,  sins  which  God  alone  has  the  right 
to  know,  for  He  alone  can  blot  them  out  with  the 
blood  of  His  Son,  shed  on  the  cross. 

But  what  a wretched  life  must  that  be  of  those 
exceptional  noble  souls,  which  Rome  keeps  in  the 
dark  dungeons  of  her  superstition  ? They  read  in 
all  their  books,  and  hear  from  all  their  pulpits,  that 
if  thev  conceal  a single  sin  from  their  confessors, 


24  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

they  are  forever  lost ! But,  being  absolutely  un- 
able to  trample  under  their  feet  the  laws  of  self- 
respect  and  decency,  which  God  Himself  has  im- 
pressed in  their  souls,  they  live  in  constant  dread 
of  eternal  damnation.  No  human  words  can  tell 
their  desolation  and  distress,  when  at  the  feet  of 
their  confessors,  they  find  themselves  under  the 
horrible  necessity  of  speaking  of  things,  on  which 
they  would  prefer  to  suffer  the  most  cruel  death 
rather  than  to  open  their  lips,  or  to  be  forever 
damned  if  they  do  not  degrade  themselves  forever 
in  their  own  eyes,  by  speaking  on  matters  which  a 
respectable  woman  will  never  reveal  to  her  own 
mother,  much  less  to  a man  ! 

I have  known  only  too  many  of  these  noble- 
hearted  women,  who,  when  alone  with  God,  in  a 
real  agony  of  desolation  and  with  burning  tears, 
had  asked  Him  to  grant- them  what  they  considered 
the  greatest  favor,  which  was,  to  lose  so  much  of 
their  self-respect  as  to  be  enabled  to  speak  of  those 
unmentionable  things,  just  as  their  confessors 
wanted  them  to  speak ; and,  hoping  that  their  pe- 
tition had  been  granted,  they  went  again  to  the 
confessional-box,  determined  to  unveil  their  shame 
before  the  eyes  of  that  inexorable  man.  But  when 
the  moment  had  come  for  the  self-immolation,  their 
courage  failed,  their  knees  trembled,  their  lips  be- 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  25 

came  pale  as  death,  cold  sweat  poured  from  all 
their  pores ! The  voice  of  modesty  and  womanly 
self-respect  was  speaking  louder  than  the  voice  of 
their  false  religion.  They  had  to  go  out  of  the 
lonfessional-box  unpardoned — nay,  with  the  burden 
of  a new  sacrilege  on  their  conscience.  ^ 

Oh  ! how  heavy  is  the  yoke  of  Rome — how  bit- 
ter is  human  life — how  cheerless  is  the  mystery  of 
the  cross  to  those  deluded  and  perishing  souls  ! 
How  gladly  they  would  rush  into  the  blazing  piles 
with  the  Brahmin  women,  if  they  could  hope  to 
see  the  end  of  their  unspeakable  miseries  through 
the  momentary  tortures  which  would  open  to  them 
the  gates  of  a better  life  ! 

I do  here  publicly  challenge  the  whole  Roman 
Catholic  priesthood  to  deny  that  the  greater  part  of 
their  female  penitents  lemain  a certain  period  of 
time — some  longer,  some  shorter — under  that  most 
distressing  state  of  mind. 

Yes,  by  far  the  greater  majority  of  women,  at 
first,  find  it  impossible  to  pull  down  the  sacred 
barriers  of  self-respect  which  God  Himself  has  built 
around  their  hearts,  intelligences,  and  souls,  as  the 
best  safeguard  against  the  snares  of  this  polluted 
world.  Those  laws  of  self-respect,  by  which  they 
cannot  consent  to  speak  an  impure  word  into  the 
ears  of  a man,  and  which  shut  all  the  avenues  of 


26  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

the  heart  against  his  unchaste  questions,  even  when 
speaking  in  the  name  of  God — those  laws  of  self- 
respect  are  so  clearly  written  in  their  conscience, 
and  they  are  so  well  understood  by  them,  to  be  a 
most  Divine  gift,  that,  as  I have  already  said, 
many  jgi^efer  to  run  the  risk  of  being  forever  lost 
by  remaining  silent. 

It  takes  many  years  of  the  most  ingenious  (I  do 
no^  hesitate  to  call  it  diabolical)  efforts  on  the  part 
of  the  priests  to  persuade  the  majority  of  their 
female  petitents  to  speak  on  questions,  which  even 
pagan  savages  would  blush  to  mention  among 
themselves.  Some  persist  in  remaining  silent  on 
those  matters  during  the  greater  part  of  their  lives, 
and  many  prefer  to  throw  themselves  into  the 
hands  of  their  merciful  God,  and  die  without  sub- 
mitting to  the  defiling  ordeal,  even  after  they  have 
felt  the  poisonous  stings  of  the  enemy,  rather  than 
receive  their  pardon  from  a man,  who,  as  they  feel, 
would  have  surely  been  scandalized  by  the  recital 
of  their  human  frailties.  All  the  priests  of  Kome 
are  aware  of  this  natural  disposition  of  their  female 
penitents.  There  is  not  a single  one — no,  not  a 
single  one  of  their  moral  theologians,  who  does  not 
warn  the  confessors  against  that  stern  and  general 
determination  of  the  girls  and  married  women  never 
to  speak  in  the  confessional  on  matters  which  may, 


THi:.  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONxVL. 


27 


more  or  less,  deal  with  sins  against  the  sevenlii 
eoinmandment.  Dens,  Ligiiori,  Debreyne,  Bailly, 
ifec., — in  a word,  all  the  theologians  of  Rome — 
own  that  this  is  one  of  the  greatest  difficulties 
which  the  confessors  have  to  contend  with  in  the 
confessional-box. 

Not  a single  Roman  Catholic  priest  will  dare  to 
deny  what  I say  on  this  matter  ; for  they  know 
that  it  would  be  easy  for  me  to  overwhelm  them 
with  such  a crowd  of  testimonies  that  their  grand 
imposture  would  forever  be  unmasked. 

I intend,  at  some  future  day,  if  God  spares  me 
and  gives  me  time  for  it,  to  make  known  some  of 
the  innumerable  things  which  the  Roman  Catholic 
theologians  and  moralists  have  written  on  this 
question.  It  will  form  one  of  the  most  curious 
books  ever  written  ; and  it  will  give  unanswerable 
evidence  of  the  fact  that,  instinctively,  without 
consulting  each  other,  and  with  an  unanimity  which 
is  almost  marvellous,  the  Roman  Catholic  women, 
guided  by  the  honest  instincts  which  God  has  given 
them,  shrink  from  the  snares  put  before  them  in 
the  confessional-box ; and  that  everywhere  they 
struggle  to  nerve  themselves  with  a superhuman 
courage,  against  the  torturer  who  is  sent  by  the 
Pope,  to  finish  their  ruin  and  to  make  shipwreck 
of  their  souls.  Everywhere  woman  feels  that  there 


28  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

are  things  which  ought  never  to  be  told,  as  then 
are  things  which  ought  never  to  be  done,  in  the 
presence  of  the  God  of  holiness.  She  understands 
that,  to  recite  the  history  of  certain  sins,  even  of 
thought,  is  not  less  shameful  and  criminal  than  to 
do  them ; she  hears  the  voice  of  God  whispering 
into  her  ears,  ‘‘Is  it  not  enough  that  thou  hast 
been  guilty  once,  when  alone  in  My  presence,  with- 
out adding  to  thine  iniquity  by  allowing  that  man 
to  know  what  should  never  have  been  revealed  to 
him  ? Do  you  not  feel  that  you  make  that  man 
your  accomplice,  the  very  moment  that  you  throw 
into  his  heart  and  soul  the  mire  of  your  iniquities 
He  is  as  weak  as  you  are  ; he  is  not  less  a sinner 
than  yourself;  what  has  tempted  you  will  tempt 
him ; what  has  made  you  weak  will  make  him 
weak ; what  has  polluted  you  will  pollute  him ; 
what  has  thrown  you  down  into  the  dust,  will  throw 
him  into  the  dust.  Is  it  not  enough  that  My  eyes 
had  to  look  upon  your  iniquities  ? must  My  ears, 
to-day,  listen  to  your  impure  conversation  with  that 
man?  Were  that  man  as  lioly  as  My  prophet 
David,  may  he  not  fall  before  the  unchaste  unveil- 
ing of  the  new  Bathsheba?  Were  he  as  strong  as 
Samson,  may  he  not  find  in  you  his  tempting 
Delilah?  Were  he  as  generous  as  Peter,  may  he 
not  become  a traitor  at  the  maid-servant’s  voice  ? ” 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONS x..  29 

Perhaps  the  world  has  never  seen  a more  terri- 
ble, desperate,  solemn  struggle  than  the  one  which 
is  going  on  in  the  soul  of  a poor  trembling  young 
woman,  who,  at  the  feet  of  that  man,  has  to  decide 
whether  or  not  she  will  open  her  lips  on  those 
things  which  the  infallible  voice  of  God,  united  to 
the  no  less  infallible  voice  of  her  womanly  honor 
and  self-respect,  tell  her  never  to  reveal  to  any 
man  ! 

The  history  of  that  secret,  fierce,  desperate,  and 
fieadly  struggle  has  never  yet,  so  far  as  I know, 
been  fully  given.  It  would  draw  the  tears  of  ad- 
miration and  compassion  of  the  whole  world,  if  it 
could  be  written  with  its  simple,  sublime,  and  ter 
rible  realities. 

How  many  times  have  I wept  as  a child  when 
some  noble-hearted  and  intelligent  young  girl,  or 
some  respectable  married  woman,  yielding  to  the 
sophisms  with  which  I,  or  some  other  confessor, 
had  persuaded  them  to  give  up  tlieir  self-respect, 
and  their  womanly  dignity,  to  speak  with  me  on 
matters  on  which  a decent  woman  should  never  say 
a word  with  a man.  They  have  told  me  of  their 
invincible  repugnance,  their  horror  of  such  ques- 
tions and  answers,  and  they  have  asked  me  to  have 
pity  on  them.  Yes ! I have  often  v/ept  bitterly 
on  my  degradation,  when  a priest  of  Eome ! I 


30  thp:  priest,  woman  and  confessional. 

have  realized  all  the  strength,  the  grandeur,  and 
the  holiness,  of  their  motives  for  being  silent  on 
these  defiling  matters,  and  I could  not  but  admire 
them.  It  seemed  at  times  that  they  were  speaking 
the  language  of  angels  of  light ; that  I ought  to 
fall  at  their  feet,  and  ask  their  pardon  for  having 
spoken  to  them  of  questions,  on  which  a man  of 
honor  ought  never  to  converse  with  a woman  whom 
he  respects. 

But  alas  ! I had  soon  to  reproach  myself,  and 
regret  those  short  instances  of  my  wavering  faith 
in  the  infallible  voice  of  my  Church  ; I had  soon 
to  silence  the  voice  of  my  conscience,  which  was 
telling  me,  ‘‘Is  it  not  a shame  that  you,  an  um 
married  man,  dare  to  speak  on  these  matters  with 
a woman  ? Do  you  not  blush  to  put  such  ques- 
tions to  a young  girl  ? Wliere  is  your  self-respect  ? 
where  is  your  fear  of  God  ? Do  you  not  promote 
the  ruin  of  that  girl  by  forcing  her  to  speak  with 
a man  on  such  matters?  ” 

I was  compelled  by  all  the  Popes,  the  moral 
theologians,  and  the  Councils,  of  Rome,  to  believe 
that  this  warning  voice  of  my  merciful  God  was  the 
voice  of  Satan  ; I had  to  believe  in  spite  of  my  own 
conscience  and  intelligence,  that  it  was  good,  nay, 
necessary,  to  put  those  polluting,  damning  ques- 
tions. My  infallible  Church  was  mercilessly  fore- 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN,  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  31 

ing  me  to  oblige  those  poor,  trembling,  weeping, 
desolate  girls  and  women,  to  swim  with  me  and  all 
her  priests  in  those  waters  of  Sodom  and  Gom- 
orrah, under  the  pretext  that  their  self-will  would 
be  broken  down,  their  fear  of  sin  and  humility  in- 
creased, and  that  they  would  be  purified  by  our 
absolutions. 

With  what  supreme  distress,  disgust,  and  sur- 
prise, we  see,  to-day,  a great  part  of  the  noble 
Episcopal  Church  of  England  struck  by  a plague 
which  seems  incurable,  under  the  name  of  Pusey- 
ism,  or  Ritualism,  and  bringing  again — more  or 
less  openly — in  many  places  the  diabolical  and 
filthy  auricular  confession  among  the  Protestants 
of  England,  Australia  and  America.  The  Episco* 
pal  Church  is  doomed  to  perish  in  that  dark  and 
stinking  pool  of  Popery — auricular  confession,  if 
she  does  not  find  a prompt  remedy  to  stop  the 
plague  brought  by  the  disguised  Jesuits,  who  are 
at  work  everywhere,  to  poison  and  enslave  her  too 
unsuspecting  daughters  and  sons. 

In  the  beginning  of  my  priesthood,  I was  not  a 
little  surprised  and  embarrassed  to  see  a very  ac- 
complished and  beautiful  young  lady,  whom  I used 
to  meet  almost  every  week  at  her  father’s  house, 
entering  the  box  of  my  confessional.  She  had 
been  used  to  confess  to  another  young  priest  of 


32  THE  PRIEST,  WOMiN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

my  acquaintance,  and  she  was  always  looked  upon 
as  one  of  the  most  pious  girls  of  the  city.  Though 
•he  had  disguised  herself  as  much  as  possible,  in 
order  that  I might  not  know  her,  I felt  sure  that  1 
was  not  mistaken — she  was  the  amiable  Mary  * * 

Not  being  absolutely  certain  of  the  correctness 
of  my  impressions,  I left  her  entirely  under  the 
hope  that  she  was  a perfect  stranger  to  me.  At 
the  beginning  she  could  hardly  speak  ; her  voice 
was  suffocated  by  her  sobs ; and  through  the  little 
apertures  of  the  thin  partition  between  her  and  me, 
I saw  two  streams  of  big  tears  trickling  down  her 
cheeks. 

After  much  effort,  she  said:  Dear  Father,  I 

hope  you  do  not  know  me,  and  that  you  will  never 
try  to  know  me.  I am  a desperately  great  sinner. 
Oh  ! I fear  that  I am  lost ! But  if  there  is  still  a 
hope  for  me  to  be  saved,  for  God’s  sake,  do  not  re- 
buke me  ! Before  I begin  my  confession,  allow  me 
to  ask  you  not  to  pollute  my  ears  by  questions 
which  our  confessors  are  in  the  habit  of  putting  to 
their  female  penitents  ; I have  already  been  de- 
stroyed by  those  questions.  Before  I was  seven- 
teen years  old,  God  knows  that  Ilis  angels  are  not 
more  pure  than  I was  ; but  the  chaplain  of  the 
Nunnery  where  my  parents  had  sent  me  for  my 
education,  though  approaching  old  age,  ])ut  to  me, 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  33 

in  the  confessional,  a question  which  at  first  I did 
not  understand,  but,  unfortunately,  he  had  put  the 
same  questions  to  one  of  my  young  class-mates, 
who  made  fun  of  them  in  my  presence,  and  ex- 
plained them  to  me ; for  she  understood  them  too 
well.  This  first  unchaste  conversation  of  my  life 
plunged  my  tlioughts  into  a sea  of  iniquity,  till 
then  absolutely  unknown  to  me ; temptations  of 
the  most  humiliating  character  assailed  me  for  a 
week,  day  and  night ; after  which,  sins  which  I 
would  blot  out  with  my  blood,  if  it  were  possible, 
overwhelmed  my  soul  as  with  a deluge.  But  the 
joys  of  the  sinner  are  short.  Struck  with  terror  at 
the  thought  of  the  judgments  of  God,  after  a few 
weeks  of  the  most  deplorable  life,  I determined  to 
give  up  my  sins  and  reconcile  myself  to  God.  Cov- 
ered with  shame,  and  trembling  from  head  to  foot, 
I went  to  confess  to  my  old  confessor,  whom  I re- 
spected as  a saint  and  cherished  as  a father.  It 
!!feems  to  me  that,  with  sincere  tears  of  repentance, 
I confessed  to  him  the  greatest  part  of  my  sins, 
though  I concealed  one  of  them,  through  shame, 
and  respect  for  my  spiritual  guide.  But  I did  not 
conceal  from  him  that  the  strange  questions  he  hud 
put  to  me  at  my  last  confession,  were,  with  the 
natural  corruption  of  my  heart,  the  principal  cause 
of  my  destruction. 


34:  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

spoke  to  me  very  kindly,  encouraged  lne^ 
to  fight  against  my  bad  inclinations,  and,  at  firsts 
gave  me  very  kind  and  good  advice.  But  when  I 
thought  he  had  finished  speaking,  and  as  I was^ 
preparing  to  leave  the  confessional-box,  he  put  to 
me  two  new  questions  of  such  a polluting  character 
that,  I fear  neither  the  blood  of  Christ,  nor  all  the 
fires  of  hell  will  ever  be  able  to  blot  them  out  from 
my  memory.  Those  questions  have  achieved  my 
ruin ; they  have  stuck  to  my  mind  like  two  deadly 
arrows  ; they  are  day  and  night  before  my  imagin- 
ation ; they  fill  my  very  arteries  and  veins  with  a 
deadly  poison. 

It  is  true  that,  at  first,  they  filled  me  with  hor- 
ror and  disgust ; but  alas  ! I soon  got  so  accus- 
tomed  to  them  that  they  seemed  to  be  incorporated 
with  me,  and  as  if  becoming  a second  nature. 
Those  thoughts  have  become  a new  source  of  in- 
numerable  criminal  thoughts,  desires  and  ac- 
tions. 

‘‘A  month  later,  we  were  obliged  by  the  rules  of 
our  convent  to  go  and  confess ; but  by  this  time, 
I was  so  completely  lost,  that  I no  longer  blushed 
at  the  idea  of  confessing  my  shameful  sins  to  a 
man ; it  was  the  very  contrary.  I had  a real,  dia- 
bolical pleasure  in  the  thought  that  I should  have 
a long  conversation  with  my  confessor  on  those 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  35 

jiiatters,  and  that  he  would  ask  me  more  of  hi& 
strange  questions. 

“ In  fact,  when  I had  told  him  everything  with- 
out a blush,  he  began  to  interrogate  me,  and  God 
knows  what  corrupting  things  fell  from  his  lips  into 
my  poor  criminal  heart ! Every  one  of  his  ques- 
tions was  thrilling  my  nerves,  and  filling  me  with 
the  most  shameful  sensations.  After  an  hour  of 
this  criminal  tHe-a-tete  with  my  old  confessor  (for  it 
was  nothing  else  but  a criminal  tete-a-tete)^  I per- 
ceived that  he  was  as  depraved  as  I was  myself. 
With  some  half-covered  words,  he  made  a crimi- 
nal proposition,  which  I accepted  with  covered 
words  also  ; and  during  more  than  a year,  we  have 
lived  together  on  the  most  sinful  intimacy.  Though 
he  was  much  older  than  I,  I loved  him  in  the  most 
foolish  way.  When  the  course  of  my  convent  in- 
struction was  finished,  my  parents  called  me  back 
to  their  home.  I was  really  glad  of  that  change 
of  residence,  for  I was  beginning  to  be  tired  of  my 
criminal  life.  My  hope  was  that,  under  the  direc 
tion  of  a better  confessor,  I should  reconcile  my- 
self to  God  and  begin  a Christian  life. 

‘^Unfortunately  for  me,  my  new  confessor,  who 
was  very  young,  began  also  his  interrogations.  lie 
Boon  fell  in  love  with  me,  and  I loved  liim  in  a 
most  criminal  way.  I have  done  with  him  things 


36  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

which  I hope  you  will  never  request  me  to  reveal 
to  you,  for  they  are  too  monstrous  to  be  repeated, 
^ven  in  the  confessional,  by  a woman  to  a man. 

‘‘  I do  not  say  these  things  to  take  away  the  re- 
sponsibility of  my  iniquities  with  this  young  con- 
fessor, from  my  shoulders,  for  I think  I have  been 
more  criminal  than  he  was.  It  is  my  firm  convic- 
tion that  he  was  a good  and  holy  priest  before  he 
knew  me  ; but  the  questions  he  put  to  me,  and  the 
answers  I had  to  give  him,  melted  his  heart — I 
know  it — just  as  boiling  lead  would  melt  the  ice  on 
which  it  flows. 

I know  this  is  not  such  a detailed  confession 
as  our  holy  Church  requires  me  to  make,  but  I 
have  thought  it  necessary  for  me  to  give  you  this 
short  history  of  the  life  of  the  greatest  and  most 
misei'able  sinner  who  ever  asked  you  to  help  her  to 
come  out  from  the  tomb  of  her  iniquities.  This  is 
the  way  I have  lived  these  last  few  years.  But  last 
Sabbath,  God,  in  His  infinite  mercy,  looked  down 
upon  me.  lie  inspired  you  to  give  us  the  Prodigal 
Son  as  a model  of  true  conversion,  and  as  the  most 
marvellous  proof  of  the  infinite  compassion  of  the 
dear  Saviour  for  the  sinner.  I have  wept  day  and 
rght  since  that  happy  day,  when  I threw  myself 
into  the  arms  of  my  loving  merciful  Father.  Even 
now,  I can  hardly  speak,  because  my  regret  for 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN,  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 


37 


my  past  iniquities,  and  my  joy  that  I am  allowed 
to  bathe  the  feet  of  the  Saviour  with  tears,  are  so 
great  that  my  voice  is  as  choked. 

‘‘You  understand  that  I have  forever  given  up 
my  last  confessor.  I come  to  ask  you  to  do  me  the 
favor  to  receive  me  among  your  penitents.  Oh ! 
do  not  reject  nor  rebuke  me,  for  the  dear  Saviour’s 
sake ! Be  not  afraid  to  have  at  your  side  such  a 
monster  of  iniquity  ! But  before  going  further,  I 
have  two  favors  to  ask  from  you.  The  first  is,  that 
you  will  never  do  anything  to  ascertain  my  name  ; 
the  second  is,  that  you  will  never  put  to  me  any  of 
those  questions  by  which  so  many  penitents  are  lost 
and  so  many  priests  forever  destroyed.  Twice  I 
have  been  lost  by  those  questions.  We  come  to 
our  confessors  that  they  may  throw  upon  our  guilty 
souls  the  pure  waters  which  fiow  from  heaven  to 
purify  us ; but  instead  of  that,  with  their  unmen- 
tionable questions,  they  pour  oil  on  the  burning 
fires  which  are  already  raging  in  our  poor  sinful 
hearts.  Oh  ! dear  father,  let  me  become  your  pern 
itent,  that  you  may  help  me  to  go  and  weep  with 
Magdalene  at  the  Saviour’s  feet ! Do  respect  me, 
as  He  respected  that  true  model  of  all  the  sinful, 
but  repenting  women ! Did  our  Saviour  put  to  her 
any  question  ? did  He  extort  from  her  the  history 
of  things  which  a sinful  woman  cannot  say  without 


38  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

forgetting  the  respect  she  owes  to  herself  and  to 
God ! No  ! you  told  us  not  long  ago,  that  the 
only  thing  our  Saviour  did,  was  to  look  at  her  tears 
and  her  love.  Well,  please  do  that,  and  you  will 
save  me ! ” 

I was  then  a very  young  priest,  and  never  had 
any  words  so  sublime  come  to  my  ears  in  the  con- 
fessional-box. Her  tears  and  her  sobs,  mingled 
with  the  frank  declaration  of  the  most  humiliating 
actions,  had  made  such  a profound  impression  upon 
me  that  I was,  for  some  time,  unable  to  speak.  It 
had  come  to  my  mind  also  that  I might  be  mis- 
^aken  about  her  identity,  and  that  perhaps  she  was 
not  the  young  lady  that  I liad  imagined.  I could, 
then,  easily  grant  her  first  request,  which  was  to 
do  nothing  by  which  I could  know  her.  The  sec- 
ond part  of  her  prayer  was  more  embarrassing ; 
for  the  theologians  are  very  positive  in  ordering  the 
confessors  to  question  their  penitents,  particularly 
those  of  the  female  sex,  in  many  circum- 
stances. 

I encouraged  her  in  the  best  way  I could,  to  pre- 
severe  in  her  good  resolutions,  by  invoking  the 
blessed  Yirgin  Mary  and  St.  Philomene,  who  was, 
then,  the  Sainte  d la  mode^  just  as  Marie  Alacoque 
is  to-day,  among  the  blind  slaves  of  Rome.  I told 
Jier  that  I would  pray  and  tliink  over  the  subject  of 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 


39 


her  second  request;  and  I asked  lier  to  come  back 
in  a week  for  iny  answer. 

The  very  same  day,  I went  to  my  own  confessor, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Baillargeon,  then  curate  of  Quebec, 
and  afterwards  Archbishop  of  Canada.  ' I told  him 
the  singular  and  unusual  request  she  had  made, 
that  I should  never  put  to  her  any  ot  those  ques- 
tions suggested  by  the  theologians,  to  insure  the 
integrity  of  the  confession.  I did  not  conceal  from 
him  that  I was  much  inclined  to  grant  her  that 
favor ; for  I repeated  what  I had  already  several 
times  told  him,  that  I was  supremely  disgusted  with 
the  infamous  and  polluting  questions  which  the 
theologians  forced  us  to  put  to  our  female  peni- 
tents. 1 told  him  frankly  that  several  old  and 
young  priests  had  already  come  to  confess  to  me; 
and  that,  with  the  exception  of  two,  they  had  told 
me  that  they  could  not  put  those  questions  and 
hear  the  answers  they  elicited,  without  falling  into 
the  most  damnable  sins. 

My  confessor  seemed  to  be  much  perplexed  about 
what  he  should  answer.  He  asked  me  to  come  the 
next  day,  that  he  might  review  some  of  his  theo- 
logical books,  in  the  interval.  The  next  day,  I 
took  down  in  writing  his  answer,  which  I find  in 
my  old  manuscripts,  and  I give  it  here  in  all  its 
sad  crudity 


40  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AJSl)  (JONIE&SIONAL. 

Such  cases  of  the  destruction  of  female  virtue 
by  the  questions  of  the  confessors  is  an  unavoid- 
able evil.  It  cannot  be  helped  ; for  such  questions 
are  absolutely  necessary  in  the  greater  part  of  the 
cases  with  which  we  have  to  deal.  Men  generally 
confess  their  sins  with  so  much  sincerity  that  there 
is  seldom  any  need  for  questioning  them,  except 
when  they  are  very  ignorant.  But  St.  Liguori,  as 
well  as  our  personal  observation,  tells  us  that  the 
greatest  part  of  girls  and  women,  through  a false 
and  criminal  shame,  very  seldom  confess  the  sins 
they  commit  against  purity.  It  requires  the  utmost 
charity  in  the  confessors  to  prevent  tliose  unfortu- 
nate slaves  of  their  secret  passions  from  making 
sacrilegious  confessions  and  communions.  With 
the  greatest  prudence  and  zeal  he  must  question 
them  on  those  matters,  beginning  with  the  smallest 
sins,  and  going,  little  by  little,  as  much  as  possible 
by  imperceptible  degrees,  to  the  most  criminal 
actions.  As  it  seems  evident  that  the  penitent  re  ' 
ferred  to  in  your  questions  of  yesterday,  is  unwill- 
ing to  make  a full  and  detailed  confession  of  all  he.r 
iniquities,  you  cannot  promise  to  absolve  her  with- 
out assuring  yourself  by  wise  and  prudent  ques- 
tions, that  she  has  confessed  everything. 

‘‘You  must  not  be  discouraged  when,  througl 
the  confessional  or  any  other  way\  you  learn  the 


-fHE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  41 

fall  of  priests  into  the  common  frailties  of  human 
nature  with  their  penitents.  Our  Saviour  knew 
very  well  that  the  occasions  and  the  temptations 
we  have  to  encounter,  in  the  confessions  of  girls 
and  women,  are  so  numerous,  and  sometimes  so 
irresistible,  that  many  would  fall.  But  He  has 
given  them  the  Holy  Virgin  Mary,  who  constantly 
asks  and  obtains  their  pardon  ; He  has  given  them 
the  sacrament  of  penance,  where  they  can  receive 
their  pardon  as  often  as  they  ask  for  it.  The  vow 
of  perfect  chastity  is  a great  honor  and  privilege  ; 
but  we  cannot  conceal  from  ourselves  that  it  puts 
on  our  shoulders  a burden  which  many  cannot 
carry  forever.  St.  Liguori  says  that  we  must  not 
rebuke  the  penitent  priest  who  falls  only  once  a 
month  ; and  some  other  trustworthy  theologians 
are  still  more  charitable.” 

This  answer  was  far  from  satisfying  me.  It 
seemed  to  me  composed  of  soft  soap  principles.  I 
went  back  with  a heavy  heart  and  an  anxious  mind ; 
and  God  knows  that  I made  many  fervent  prayers 
that  this  girl  should  never  come  again  to  give  me 
her  sad  history.  I was  hardly  twenty-six  years  old, 
full  of  youth  and  life.  It  seemed  to  me  that  the 
stings  of  a thousand  wasps  to  my  ears  would  noif 
do  me  so  much  harm  as  the  words  of  that  dear, 
beautiful,  accomplished,  but  lost  girl. 


42  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

I do  not  mean  to  say  that  the  revelations  which 
she  made,  had,  in  any  way,  diminished  my  es- 
teem and  my  respect  for  her.  It  was  just  the  con- 
trary. Her  tears  and  her  sobs,  at  my  feet ; her 
agonizing  expressions  of  shame  and  regret ; her 
noble  words  of  protest  against  the  disgusting  and 
polluting  interrogations  of  the  confessors,  had 
raised  her  very  high  in  my  mind.  My  sincere  hope 
was  that  she  would  have  a place  in  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  with  the  Samaritan  women,  Mary  Magda- 
lene, and  all  the  sinners  who  have  washed  their 
robes  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 

At  the  appointed  day,  I was  in  my  confessional, 
listening  to  the  confession  of  a young  man,  when  I 
saw  Miss  Mary  entering  the  vestry,  and  coming 
directly  to  my  confessional-box,  where  she  knelt  by 
me.  Though  she  had,  still  more  than  at  the  first 
time,  disguised  herself  behind  a long,  thick,  black 
veil,  I could  not  be  inistaken ; she  was  the  very 
same  amiable  young  lady  in  whose  father’s  house  I 
used  to  pass  such  pleasant  and  happy  hours.  I 
had  often  listened,  with  breathless  attention,  to  her 
melodious  voice,  when  she  was  giving  us,  accom- 
panied by  her  piano,  some  of  our  beautiful  Church 
hymns.  Who  could  then  see  and  hear  her  without 
almost  worshipping  her  ? The  dignity  of  her  steps, 
and  her  whole  mien,  when  she  advanced  towards 


THE  PJRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  4*> 

^iv  confessional,  entirely  betrayed  lier  and  de- 
stroyed her  incognito. 

Oil  ! I would  have  given  every  drop  of  my  blood 
in  that  solemn  hour,  that  I might  have  been  free 
to  deal  with  her  just  as  she  had  so  eloquently  re- 
quested me  to  do — to  let  her  weep  and  cry  at  the 
feet  of  Jesus  to  her  heart’s  content ; Oh  ! if  I had 
been  free  to  take  her  by  the  hand,  and  silently 
show  her  the  dying  Saviour,  that  she  might  have 
bathed  His  feet  with  her  tears,  and  spread  the  oil 
of  her  love  on  His  head,  without  my  saying  any- 
thing else  but  ‘‘Go  in  peace:  thy  sins  are  for- 
given.” 

But,  there,  in  that  confessional-box,  I was  not 
the  servant  of  Christ,  to  follow  His  divine,  saving 
words,  and  obey  the  dictates  of  my  honest  con- 
science. I was  the  slave  of  the  Pope ! I had  to 
stifle  the  cry  of  my  conscience,  to  ignore  the  in- 
spirations of  my  God  ! There,  my  conscience  had 
no  right  to  speak ; my  intelligence  was  a dead 
thing ! The  theologians  of  the  Pope,  alone,  had  a 
right  to  be  heard  and  obeyed  ! I was  not  there  to 
save,  but  to  destroy  ; for,  under  the  pretext  of  puri- 
fying, the  real  mission  of  the  confessor,  often,  if 
not  always,  in,  spite  of  himself,  is  to  scandalise  and 
damn  the  souls. 

As  soon  as  the  young  man  who  was  making  his 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

comc/ssion  at  my  left  hand,  had  finished,  I,  without 
noise,  turned  myself  towards  her,  and  said,  through 
the  little  aperture,  Are  you  ready  to  begin  your 
confession  ? ” 

But  she  did  not  answer  me.  All  that  I could 
hear  was:  Oh,  my  Jesus,  have  mercy  upon  me  ! 

I come  to  wush  my  soul  in  Thy  blood  ; wilt  thou 
rebuke  me  ?” 

During  several  minutes  she  raised  her  hands  and 
her  eyes  to  heaven,  and  wept  and  prayed.  It  was 
evident  that  she  had  not  the  least  idea  that  I was 
observing  her ; she  thought  the  door  of  the  little 
partition  between  her  and  me  was  shut.  But  my 
eyes  were  fixed  upon  her ; my  tears  were  flowing 
with  her  tears,  and  my  ardent  prayers  were  going 
to  the  feet  of  Jesus  with  her  prayers.  I would  not 
have  interrupted  her  for  any  consideration,  in  this, 
her  sublime  communion  with  her  merciful  Saviour. 

But  after  a pretty  long  time,  I made  a little  noise 
with  my  hand,  and  putting  my  lips  near  the  open- 
ing of  the  partition  which  was  between  us,  I said 
in  a low  voice,  ‘^Dear  sister,  are  you  ready  to  be- 
gin your  confession  ? ” 

She  turned  her  face  a little  towards  me,  and  said 
with  trembling  voice,  ‘ ‘ Yes,  dear  father,  I am  ready.  ’ ’ 

But  she  then  stopped  again  to  weep  and  pray, 
though  I could  not  hear  what  she  said. 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  45 

After  some  time  of  silent  prayer,  I said,  ‘‘My 
dear  sister,  if  you  are  ready,  j)lease  begin  your 
confession.”  She  then  said,  “ My  dear  father,  do 
you  remember  the  prayers  which  I made  to  you, 
the  other  day  ? Can  you  allow  me  to  confess  my 
jsins  without  forcing  me  to  forget  the  respect  that 
I owe  to  myself,  to  you,  and  to  God,  who  hears  us  ? 
And  can  you  promise  that  you  will  not  put  to  me 
uny  of  those  questions  which  have  already  done  me 
such  irreparable  injury  ? I frankly  declare  to  you 
that  there  are  sins  in  me  that  I cannot  reveal  to 
anyone,  except  to  Christ,  because  He  is  my  God, 
*and  that  He  already  knows  them  all.  Let  me  weep 
"*nd  cry  at  His  feet : can  you  not  forgive  me  with- 
out adding  to  my  iniquities  by  forcing  me  to  say 
things  that  the  tongue  of  a Christian  woman  cannot 
j’i^veal  to  a man  ? ” 

“My  dear  sister,”  I answered,  “were  I free  to 
follow  the  voice  of  my  own  feelings  I would  be  only 
too  happy  to  grant  your  request ; but  I am  here 
■only  as  the  minister  of  our  holy  Church,  and  bound 
to  obey  her  laws.  Through  her  most  holy  Popes 
and  theologians  she  tells  me  that  I cannot  forgive 
3^our  sins,  if  you  do  not  confess  them  all,  just  as 
you  liave  committed  them.  The  Church  tells  me 
also  that  you  must  give  tlie  details  which  may  add 
the  malice  or  change  the  nature  of  your  sins.  1 


46  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

am  also  sorry  to  tell  you  that  our  most  holy  theo- 
logians make  it  a duty  of  the  confessor  to  question^ 
the  penitent  on  the  sins  which  he  has  good  reason 
to  suspect  have  been  voluntarily  or  involuntarily 
omitted.” 

With  a piercing  cry,  she  exclaimed,  ‘^Then,  O' 
my  God,  I am  lost — forever  lost!” 

This  cry  fell  upon  me  like  a thunderbolt ; but  I 
was  still  more  terror-stricken  when,  looking  through 
the  aperture,  I saw  she  was  fainting  ; I heard  the 
noise  of  her  body  falling  upon  the  floor,  and  of  her 
head  striking  against  the  sides  of  the  confessional- 
box. 

Quick  as  lightning  I ran  to  help  her,  took  her  in 
my  arms,  and  called  a couple  of  men  who  were  at 
a little  distance,  to  assist  me  in  laying  her  on  a 
bench.  I washed  her  face  with  some  cold  water 
and  vinegar.  She  was  as  pale  as  death,  but  her 
lips  were  moving,  and  she  was  saying  something 
which  nobody  but  I could  understand — 

“ I am  lost — lost  forever  !” 

We  took  her  home  to  her  disconsolate  family, 
where,  during  a month,  she  lingered  between  life 
and  death.  Her  two  first  confessors  came  to  visit 
her ; but  having  asked  every  one  to  go  out  of  the 
room,  she  politely,  but  absolutely,  requested  them 
to  go  away,  and  never  come  again.  She  asked  me 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  47 

to  visit  her  every  day,  ‘‘for,”  she  said,  “I  have 
only  a few  more  days  to  live.  Help  me  to  prepare 
myself  for  the  solemn  hour  which  will  open  to  me 
the  gates  of  eternity  !” 

Every  day  I visited  her,  and  I prayed  and  I wept 
with  her. 

Many  times,  when  alone,  with  tears  I requested 
her  to  finish  her  confession  ; but,  with  a firmness 
which,  then,  seemed  to  be  mysterious  and  inexpli- 
cable, she  politely  rebuked  me. 

One  day,  when  alone  with  her,  I was  kneeling 
by  the  side  of  her  bed  to  pray,  I was  unable  to 
articulate  a single  word,  because  of  the  inexpress- 
ible anguish  of  my  soul  on  her  account,  she  asked 
me,  “ Dear  father,  why  do  you  weep  ?” 

I answered,  “ How  can  you  put  such  a question 
to  your  murderer ! I weep  because  I have  killed 
you,  dear  friend.” 

This  answer  seemed  to  trouble  her  exceedingly. 
She  was  very  weak  that  day.  After  she  had  wept 
and  prayed  in  silence,  she  said,  “do  not  weep  for 
me,  but  weep  for  so  many  priests  who  destroy  their 
penitents  in  the  confessional.  I believe  in  the 
holiness  of  the  sacrament  of  penance,  since  our 
holy  Church  has  established  it.  But  there  is,  some- 
where, something  exceedingly  wrong  in  the  con- 
fessional. Twice  I have  been  destroyed,  and  I 


48  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

know  many  girls  who  have  also  been  destroyed  by 
the  confessional.  This  is  a secret,  but  will  that 
secret  be  kept  forever  ? I pity  the  poor  priests  tha 
day  that  our  fathers  will  know  what  becomes  of  tha 
purity  of  their  daughters  in  the  hands  of  their  con* 
fessors.  Father  would  surely  kill  my  two  last  con- 
fessors, if  he  could  know  how  they  hav^  destroyed 
his  poor  child.” 

I could  not  answer  except  by  weeping. 

We  remained  silent  for  a long  time  ; then  sha 
said,  "^It  is  true  that  I was  not  prepared  for  tha 
rebuke  you  have  given  me,  the  other  day,  in  tha 
confessional ; but  you  acted  conscientiously  as  a 
good  and  honest  priest.  I know  you  must  ba 
bound  by  certain  laws.” 

She  then  pressed  my  hand  with  her  cold  hand 
and  said,  ‘‘Weep  not,  dear  father,  because  that 
sudden  storm  has  wrecked  my  too  fragile  bark. 
This  storm  was  to  take  me  out  from  the  bottomless 
sea  of  my  iniquities  to  the  shore  where  Jesus  was 
waiting  to  receive  and  pardon  me.  The  night  after 
you  brought  me,  half  dead,  here,  to  father’s  house, 
I had  a dream.  Oh,  no ! it  was  not  a dream,  it 
was  a reality.  My  Jesus  came  to  me;  He  was 
bleeding;  His  crown  of  tliorns  was  on  His  head, 
the  heavy  cross  was  bruising  his  shoulders.  lie 
said  to  me,  with  a voice  so  sweet  that  no  human 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  49 

f ongue  can  imitate  it,  I have  seen  thy  tears,  I 

Aave  heard  thy  cries,  and  I know  thy  love  for  Me: 
thy  sins  are  forgiven;  take  courage;  in  a few  days 
thou  shalt  be  with  me  ! ” 

She  had  hardly  finished  her  last  word,  when  she 
fainted;  and  I feared  lest  she  should  die  just  then, 
when  I was  alone  with  her. 

I called  the  family,  who  rushed  into  the  room. 
The  doctor  was  sent  for.  He  found  her  so  weak 
that  he  thought  proper  to  allow  only  one  or  two 
persons  to  remain  in  the  room  with  me.  He  re- 
quested ns  not  to  speak  at  all:  ‘^For,’’  said  he,  ^^the 
least  emotion  may  kill  her  instantly;  her  disease 
is,  in  all  probability,  an  aneurism  of  the  aorta, 
the  big  vein  which  brings  the  blood  to  the  heart; 
when  it  breaks,  she  will  go  as  quick  as  lightning.’' 
It  was  nearly  ten  at  night  when  I left  the  house 
10  go  and  take  some  rest.  But  it  is  not  necessary 
CO  say  that  I passed  a sleepless  night.  My  dear 
Mary  was  there,  pale,  dying  from  the  deadly  blow 
which  I had  given  her  in  the  confessional.  She 
was  there,  on  her  bed  of  death,  her  heart  pierced 
with  the  dagger  which  my  Church  had  i>ut  into  my 
hand  ! and  instead  of  rebuking,  and  cursing  me  for 
my  savage,  merciless  fanaticism,  she  was  blessing 
me!  She  was  dying  from  a broken  heart,  and  I 
was  not  allowed  by  my  Church  to  give  her  a sin- 


50  THE  PUIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL,. 

gle  word  of  consolation  and  hope,  for  she  had  not 
made  her  confession  ! I had  mercilessly  bruised 
that  tender  plant,  and  there  was  nothing  in  my 
hands  to  heal  the  wounds  I had  made! 

It  was  very  probable  that  she  would  die  the 
next  day,  and  I Avas  forbidden  to  shoAV  her  the 
croAAm  of  glory  Avhich  Jesus  has  prepared  in  His 
kingdom  for  the  repenting  sinner! 

My  desolation  Avas  really  unspeakable,  and  I 
think  I Avould  have  been  suffocated  and  have  died 
that  night,  if  the  stream  of  tears  Avhich  cimstantly 
flowed  from  my  eyes  had  not  been  as  a balm  to 
my  distressed  heart. 

Hoav  dark  and  long  the  hours  of  that  night 
seemed  to  me ! 

Before  the  daAvn  of  day,  I arose  to  read  my  1 heo 
logians  again,  and  see  if  I could  not  find  some  one 
who  would  alloAV  me  to  forgive  the  sins  of  that 
dear  child,  without  forcing  her  to  tell  me  everything 
she  had  done.  But  they  seemed  to  me,  more  than 
ever,  unanimously  inexorable,  and  I put  them  back 
on  the  shelves  of  my  library  Avith  a broken  heart. 

At  nine  A.  M.  the  next  day,  I Avas  by  the  bed  of 
our  dear  sick  Mary.  I cannot  sufficiently  tell  the 
joy  I felt  Avhen  the  doctor  and  the  Avhole  family 
said  to  me,  She  is  much  better;  the  rest  of  last 
night  has  Avrought  a marvellous  change  indeed.*' 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  51 

With  a really  angelic  smile  she  extended  her 
hand  towards  me,  that  I might  press  it  in  mine;, 
and  she  said,  I thought,  last  evening,  that  the 
dear  Saviour  would  take  me  to  Him,  but  He  wants 
me,  dear  father,  to  give  you  a little  more  trouble; 
however,  be  patient,  it  cannot  be  long  before  the 
iSolemn  hour  of  the  appeal  will  ring.  Will  you 
please  read  me  the  history  of  the  suffering  and 
death  of  the  beloved  Saviour,  which  you  read  me 
(he  other  day?  It  does  me  so  much  good  to  see 
how  He  has  loved  me,  such  a miserable  sin- 
ner.” 

There  was  a calm  and  a solemnity  in  her  words 
which  struck  me  singularly,  as  well  as  all  those 
who  were  there. 

After  I had  finished  reading,  she  exclaimed,. 

He  has  loved  me  so  much  that  He  died  for  my 
sins!”  And  she  shut  her  eyes  as  if  to  meditate  in 
silence,  but  there  was  a stream  of  big  tears  rolling 
down  her  cheeks. 

I knelt  down  by  her  bed,  with  her  family,  to 
pray;  but  I could  not  utter  a single  word.  The 
idea  that  this  dear  child  was  there,  dying  from  the 
cruel  fanaticisms  of  my  theologians  and  my  own 
cowardice  in  obeying  them,  was  a mill-stone  to 
my  neck.  It  was  killing  me. 

Oh!  if  by  dying  a thousand  times,  I could  have 


52  THE  PKIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

added  a single  day  to  her  life,  with  what  pleasure 
I would  have  accepted  those  thousand  deaths! 

After  we  had  silently  prayed  and  wept  by  her 
bedside,  she  requested  her  mother  to  leave  her 
alone  with  me. 

When  I saw  myself  alone,  under  the  irresistible 
impression  that  this  was  her  last  day,  I fell  on  my 
knees  again,  and  with  tears  of  the  most  sincere* 
compassion  for  her  soul,  I requested  her  to  shake 
off  her  shame  and  to  obey  our  holy  Church,  which 
requires  every  one  to  confess  their  sins  if  they  want 
to  be  forgiven. 

She  calmnly,  but  with  an  air  of  digLity  which 
no  human  words  can  express,  said,  Is  it  true  that, 
after  the  sin  of  Adam  and  Eve,  God  Himself  made 
coats  and  skins,  and  clothed  them,  that  they  might 
not  see  each  other’s  nakedness?” 

^^Yes,”  I said  ^Hhat  is  what  the  Holy  Scriptures 
tell  us.” 

^^Well,  then,  how  is  it  possible  that  our  confess- 
crs  dare  to  take  away  from  us  that  holy,  divine 
coat  of  modesty  and  self-respect?  Has  not  Almighty 
God  Himself  made,  with  His  o wn  hands  that  coat 
of  womanly  modesty  and  self-respect  that  W6» 
might  not  be  to  you  and  to  ourselves,  a cause  ol 
-shame  and  sin?” 

I was  really  stunnec)  by  the  beauty,  simplicity* 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  53 

and  sublimity  of  that  comparison.  1 remained  ab- 
solutely  mute  and  confounded.  Though  it  was 
demolishing  all  the  traditions  and  doctrines  of  my 
Church,  and  pulverizing  all  my  holy  doctors  and 
theologians,  that  noble  answer  found  such  an  echo 
in  my  soul,  that  it  seemed  to  me  a sacrilege  to  try 
to  touch  it  with  my  finger. 

After  a short  time  of  silence,  she  continued^ 
Twice  I have  been  destroyed  by  priests  in  the 
confessional.  They  took  away  from  me  that  divine 
coat  of  modesty  and  self-respect  which  Grod  gives 
to  every  human  being  who  comes  into  this  world, 
and  twice,  I have  become  for  those  very  priests  a 
deep  pit  of  perdition,  into  which  they  have  fallen, 
and  where,  I fear,  they  are  forever  lost!  My  mer- 
ciful heavenly  Father  has  given  me  back  that  coat 
of  skins,  that  nuptial  robe  of  modesty,  self-respect,, 
and  holiness,  which  had  been  taken  away  from  me* 
He  cannot  allow  you  or  any  other  man,  to  tear 
again  and  spoil  that  vestment  which  is  the  work 
of  His  hands.’’ 

These  words  had  exhausted  her;  it  was  evident 
to  me  that  she  wanted  some  rest.  I left  her  alone, 
but  I was  absolutely  beside  myself.  Filled  with 
admiration  for  the  sublime  lessons  which  I had  re- 
ceived from  the  lips  of  that  regenerated  daughter 
, of  Eve,  who,  it  was  evident,  was  soon  to  fly  away 


54  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL 

from  US,  I felt  a supreme  disgust  for  myself,  my 
theologians,  and — shall  I say  it?  yes,  I felt  in  that 
solemn  hour  a supreme  disgust  for  my  Church, 
which  was  so  cruelly  defiling  me,  and  all  her  priests 
in  the  confessional-box.  I felt,  in  that  hour,  a 
supreme  horror  for  that  auricular  confession,  which 
is  so  often  a pit  of  perdition  and  supreme  misery 
for  the  confessor  and  penitent.  I went  out  and 
walked  two  hours  on  the  Plains  of  Abraham,  to 
breathe  the  pure  and  refreshing  air  of  the  moun- 
tain. There,  alone,  I sat  on  a stone,  on  the  very 
spot  where  Wolfe  and  Montcalm  had  fought  and 
died;  and  I wept  to  my  heart’s  content,  on  my 
irreparable  degradation,  and  the  degradation  of  so 
many  priests  through  the  confessional. 

At  four  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  I went  back 
again  to  the  house  of  my  dear  dying  Mary.  The 
mother  took  me  apart,  and  very  politely  said. 
My  dear  Mr.  Chiniquy,  do  you  not  think  it  is 
time  that  our  dear  child  should  receive  the  last 
sacraments?  She  seemed  to  be  much  bettei  this 
morning,  and  we  were  full  of  hope;  but  she  is  now 
rapidly  sinking.  Please  lose  no  time  in  giving 
her  the  holy  viaticum  and  the  extreme  unction.” 

I said,  Yes,  madam:  let  me  pass  a few  minutes 
alone  with  our  poor  dear  child,  that  I may  prepare 
her  for  the  last  sacraments.” 


THE  WoMAN  (ND  CONFESSIONAL.  55 


When  alone  with  her,  I again  fell  on  my  knees, 
and,  amidst  torrents  of  tears,  I said,  ^^Dear  sister, 
it  is  my  desire  to  give  you  the  holy  viaticum  and 
the  extreme  unction;  but  tell  me,  how  can  I dare 
to  do  a thing  so  solemn  against  all  the  prohibitions 
of  our  Holy  Church?  How  can  I give  you  the 
holy  communion  without  first  giving  you  absolu- 
tion? and  how  can  I give  you  absolution  when  you 
earnestly  persist  in  telling  me  that  you  have  many 
sins  which  you  Avill  never  declare  either  to  me  or 
any  other  confessor? 

You  know  that  I cherish  and  respect  you  as  if 
you  w^ere  an  angel  sent  to  me  from  heaven.  You 
told  me,  the  other  day,  that  you  blessed  the  day 
that  you  first  saw  and  knew  me.  I say  the  same 
thing.  I bless  the  day  that  I have  known  you;  I 
bless  every  hour  that  I have  spent  by  your  bed  of 
suffering;  I bless  every  t^r  which  I have  shed 
with  you  on  your  sins  and  on  my  own;  I bless 
every  hour  we  have  passed  together  in  looking  to 
the  wounds  of  our  beloved,  dying  Saviour;  I bless 
you  for  having  forgiven  me  your  death!  for  I know 
it,  and  I confess  it  in  the  presence  of  God,  I have 
killed  you,  dear  sister.  But  now  I prefer  a thou- 
sand times  to  die  than  to  say  to  you  a word  which 
would  pain  you  in  any  way,  or  trouble  the  peace 
of  vour  soul.  Please,  my  dear  sister,  tell  me 


o'j  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

wliat  I can  and  must  do  for  you  in  this  solemn 
hour.” 

Calmly,  and  with  a smile  of  joy  such  as  I had  never 
seen  before,  nor  seen  since,  she  said,  I thank  and 
bless  you,  dear  father,  for  the  parable  of  the  Prodr 
gal  Son,  on  which  you  preached  a month  ago.  You 
have  brought  me  to  the  feet  of  the  dear  Saviour; 
there  I have  found  a peace  and  a joy  surpassing 
anything  the  human  heart  can  feel ; I have  thrown 
myself  into  the  arms  of  my  Heavenly  Father,  and 
I know  He  has  mercifully  accepted  and  forgiven 
His  poor  prodigal  child  ! Oh,  I see  the  angels 
with  their  golden  harps  around  the  throne  of  the 
Lamb  ! Do  } Ou  not  hear  the  celestial  harmony  of 
their  songs?  I go — I go  to  join  tliem  in  my  Fath- 
er’s house.  I SHALL  NOT  BE  LOST!” 

While  she  was  thus  speaking  to  me,  my  eyes 
were  really  turned  into  two  fountains  of  tears  ; I 
was  unable,  as  well  as  unwilling,  to  see  anything, 
so  entirely  overcome  was  I by  the  sublime  words 
which  were  flowing  from  the  dying  lips  of  that 
deaiv  child,  who  was  no  more  a sinner,  but  a real 
angel  of  Heaven  to  me.  I was  listening  to  her 
words ; there  was  a celestial  music  in  every  one  of 
them.  But  she  had  raised  her  voice  in  such  a 
strange  way,  when  she  had  begun  to  say,  go  to 
my  Father’s  house,”  and  she  had  made  such  a cry 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  57 

of  joy  when  she  had  let  the  last  words,  ‘‘not  be 
lost,”  escape  her  lips,  that  I raised  my  head  and 
opened  my  eyes  to  look  at  her.  I suspected  that 
something  strange  had  occurred. 

I got  upon  my  feet,  passed  my  handkerchief 
over  my  face  to  wipe  away  the  tears  which  were 
preventing  me  from  seeing  with  accuracy,  and 
looked  at  her. 

Her  hands  were  crossed  on  her  breast,  and  there 
was  on  her  face  the  expression  of  a really  super- 
human joy ; her  beautiful  eyes  were  fixed  as  if  they 
were  looking  on  some  grand  and  sublime  spec- 
tacle ; it  seemed  to  me,  at  first,  that  she  was  pray- 
ing. 

In  that  very  instant  the  mother  rushed  into  the 
room,  crying,  “My  God!  m*y  God!  what  does 
that  cry  '‘lost^  mean?” — For  her  last  words, 
“not  to  be  lost,”  particularly  the  last  one,  had 
been  pronounced  with  such  a powerful  voice,  that 
^ they  had  been  heard  almost  everywhere  in  the 
house. 

' I made  a sign  with  my  hand  to  prevent  the  dis- 
tressed mother  from  making  any  noise  and  troub- 
ling her  dying  child  in  her  prayer,  for  I really 
thought  that  she  had  stopped  speaking,  as  she 
used  so  often  to  do,  when  alone  with  me,  in  order 
to  pray.  But  I was  mistaken.  That  redeemed 


68  THE  PEIEST,  W0M4N  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 


soul  had  gone,  on  the  golden  wings  of  love,  to  join 
the  multitude  of  those  who  hav^e  washed  their  robes 
in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  to  sing  the  eternal 
Alleluia. 


CHAPTEE  II. 

AUKICULAK  CONFESSION  A DEEP  PIT  OF  PERDITION 
FOR  THE  PRIEST. 

IT  was  some  time  after  our  dear  Mary  had  been 
buried.  The  terrible  and  mysterious  cause  of 
her  death  was  known  only  to  God  and  to  myself. 
Though  her  loving  mother  was  still  weeping  over 
her  grave,  as  usual,  she  had  soon  been  forgotten  by 
the  greatest  part  of  those  who  had  known  her ; but 
she  was  constantly  present  to  my  mind.  I never 
entered  the  confessiqjial-box  without  hearing  her 
solemn,  though  so  mild  voice,  telling  me,  ‘‘There 
must  be,  somewhere,  something  wrong  in  the  aur- 
icular  confession.  Twice  I have  been  destroyed 
by  my  confessors  ; and  I have  known  several  others 
who  have  have  been  destroyed  in  the  same  way.’’ 
More  than  once,  when  her  voice  was  ringing  in 
my  ears  from  her  tomb,  I had  shed  bitter  tears  on 
the  profound  and  unfathomable  degradation  into 
which  I,  with  the  other  priests,  had  to  fall  in  the 
confessional-box.  For  many,  many  times,  stories 
IIS  deniorable  as  that  of  this  unfortunate  girl  were 


60  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

confessed  to  me  by  city,  as  well  as  country 
females. 

One  night  I was  awakened  by  the  rumbling  noise 
of  thunder,  when  I heard  some  one  knocking  at 
the  door.  I hastened  out  of  bed  to  asl^  who  was 

there.  The  answer  was  that  the  Kev.  Mr. 

was  dying,  and  that  he  wanted  to  see  me  before 
his  death.  I dressed  myself,  and  was  soon  on  the 
highway.  The  darkness  was  fearful;  and  often, 
had  it  not  been  for  the  lightning  which  was  almost 
constantly  tearing  the  clouds,  we  should  not  have 
known  where  we  were.  After  a long  and  hard 
journey  through  the  darkness  and  the  storm,  we 
arrived  at  the  house  of  the  dying  priest.  I went 
directly  to  his  room,  and  really  found  him  very 
low:  he  could  hardly  speak.  With  a sign  of  his 
hand  he  bade  his  servant  girl,  and  a young  man 
who  were  there,  to  go  out,  and  leave  him  alone 
with  me. 

Then  he  said,  in  a low  voice,  Was  it  you  who 
prepared  poor  Mary  to  die?’’ 

Yes,  sir,”  I answered. 

Please  tell  me  the  truth.  Is  it  a fact  that  she 
died  the  death  of  a reprobate,  and  that  her  last 
words  were,  ^ Oh  my  God!  I am  lost!’  ” 

I answered  him,  As  I was  the  confessor  of  that 
girl,  and  we  were  talking  together  on  matters 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  61 

whicli  pertained  to . her  confession  at  the  very 
lioment  that  she  was  unexpectedly  suininoned  to 
ippear  before  God,  I cannot  answer  your  question 
li  any  way ; please,  then,  excuse  me  if  I cannot 
$ay  any  more  on  that  subject : but  tell  me  who  can 
have  assured  you  that  she  died  the  death  of  a rep- 
robate !” 

It  was  her  own  mother,”  answered  the  dying 
man.  Last  week  she  came  to  visit  me,  and  when 
she  was  alone  with  me,  with  many  tears  and  cries, 
she  said  how  her  poor  child  had  refused  to  receive 
the  last  sacraments,  and  how  her  last  cry  was,  ‘ I 
am  lost!”  She  added  that  that  cry,  ‘Lost !’  was 
pronounced  with  such  a frightful  power  that  it  was 
heard  through  all  the  house.” 

“ If  her  mother  told  you  that,”  I replied,  “you 
may  believe  what  you  please  about  the  way  that 
poor  child  died.  I cannot  say  a word — you  know 
\t — about  the  matter.  ’ ’ 

“But  if  she  is  lost,”  rejoined  the  old,  dying 
priest,  “ I am  the  miserable  one  who  has  destroyed 
her.  She  was  an  angel  of  purity  when  she  came  to 
the  convent.  Oh ! dear  Mary,  if  you  are  lost,  I 
am  a thousandfold  more  lost ! Oh,  my  God,  my 
God  ! what  will  become  of  me  ? I am  dying  ; and 
I am  lost !” 

It  was  indeed  an  awful  thing  to  see  that  old  sin- 


62  THE  PKIEST,  WOMAN,  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

ner  wringing  liis  hands,  and  rolling  on  his  bed,  as 
if  he  had  been  on  burning  coals,  with  all  the  marks 
of  the  most  frightful  despair  on  his  face,  crying,  I 
am  lost ! Oh,  my  God,  I am  lost !” 

I was  glad  that  the  claps  of  thunder  which  were 
shaking  the  house,  and  roaring  without  ceasing, 
prevented  the  people  outside  the  room  from  hear- 
ing the  cries  of  desolation  from  the  priest,  whom 
every  one  considered  a great  saint. 

When  it  seemed  to  me  his  terror  had  somewhat 
subsided,  and  that  his  mind  was  calmed  a little,  I 
said  to  him,  My  dear  friend,  you  must  not  give 
yourself  up  to  such  despair.  Our  merciful  God  has 
promised  to  forgive  the  repenting  sinner  who  comes 
to  Him,  even  at  the  last  hour  of  the  day.  Address 
yourself  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  slie  will  ask  and  ob- 
tain your  pardon.” 

Do  you  not  think  that  it  is  too  late  to  ask  par- 
don? The  doctor  has  honestly  warned  me  that 
death  is  very  near,  and  I feel  tliat  I am  just  now 
dying.  Is  it  not  too  late  to  ask  and  obtain  par- 
don?” asked  the  dying  priest. 

No ! my  dear  sir,  it  is  not  too  late,  if  you  sin- 
cerely regret  your  sins.  Throw  yourself  into  the 
arms  of  Jesus,  Mary,  and  Joseph  ; make  your  con- 
fession without  any  more  delay ; I will  absolve 
you,  and  you  will  be  saved.” 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  i:.SSiUNAL.  63 

^‘But  I have  never  made  a good  confession. 
Will  you  help  me  to  make  a general  one  ?” 

It  was  my  duty  to  grant  him  his  request,  and  the 
rest  of  the  night  was  spent  by  me  in  hearing  the 
confession  of  his  whole  life. 

I do  not  want  to  give  many  particulars  of  the  life 
of  that  priest.  First : It  was  then  that  I under- 
stood why  poor  Mary  was  absolutely  unwilling  to 
mention  the  iniquities  which  she  had  committed 
with  him.  They  were  simply  surpassingly  horri- 
ble— unmentionable.  No  human  tongue  can  ex- 
press them — few  human  ears  would  consent  to  hear 
them. 

The  second  thing  that  I am  bound  in  conscience 
to  reveal  is  almost  incredible,  but  it  is  nevertheless 
true.  The  number  of  married  and  unmarried 
females  he  had  heard  in  the  confessional  was  about 
1,500,  of  whom  he  said  he  had  destroyed  or  scan- 
dalised at  least  1,000  by  his  questioning  them  on 
most  depraved  things,  for  the  simple  pleasure  of 
gratifying  his  own  corrupted  heart,  without  letting 
them  know  anything  of  his  sinful  thoughts  and 
criminal  desires  towards  them.  But  he  confessed 
that  he  had  destroyed  the  purity  of  ninety-five  of 
those  penitents,  who  had  consented  to  sin  with 
him. 

And  would  to  God^that  this  priest  had  been  the 


a THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

only  one  whom  I have  known  to  be  lost  through 
the  auricular  confession.  But,  alas!  how  few  are 
those  who  have  escaped  the  snares  of  the  tempter 
compared  with  those  who  have  perished?  I have 
heard  the  confessions  of  more  than  200  priests,  and 
to  say  the  truth,  as  God  knows  it,  I must  declare 
that  only  twenty-one  had  not  to  weep  over  the 
secret  or  public  sins  committed  through  the  irresist- 
ibly corrupting  influences  of  auricular  confession! 

I am  now  more  than  seventy-seven  years  old,  and 
In  a short  time  I shall  be  in  my  grave.  I shall 
have  to  give  an  account  of  what  I now  say.  Well, 
(t  is  in  the  presence  of  my  great  Judge,  with  my 
tomb  before  my  eyes,  that  I declare  to  the  world 
that  very  few — ^yes,  very  few — priests  escape 
from  falling  into  the  pit  of  the  most  horrible 
moral  depravity  the  world  has  ever  known,  through 
the  confession  of  females. 

I do  not  say  this  because  I have  any  bad  feelings 
figainst  those  priests;  God  knows  I have  none. 
The  only  feelings  I have  are  of  supreme  compas- 
sion and  pity.  I do  not  reveal  these  awful  things 
to  make  the  world  believe  that  the  priests  of  Rome 
are  a worse  set  of  men  than  the  rest  of  the  innum- 
erable fallen  children  of  Adam ; no ; I do  not  enter- 
tain any  such  views;  for  everything  considered, 
and  weighed  in  the  balance  of  religion,  charity  and 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  65 

common  sense— -I  tliink  that  the  priests  of  Koine 
are  far  from  being  worse  than  any  other  set  of  men 
who  would  be  thrown  into  the  same  temptations, 
dangers,  and  unavoidable  occasions  of  sin. 

For  instance,  let  us  take  lawyers,  merchants,  or 
farmers,  and,  preventing  them  from  living  with 
their  lawful  wives,  let  us  surround  each  of  them 
from  morning  to  night,  by  ten,  twenty,  and  some- 
times more,  beautiful  women  and  tempting  girls, 
who  would  speak  to  them  of  things  which  would 
pulverize  a rock  of  Scotch  granite,  and  you  will  see 
how  many  of  those  lawyers,  merchants,  or  farmers 
would  come  out  of  that  terrible  moral  battle-field 
without  being  mortally  wounded. 

The  cause  of  the  supreme — I dare  say  incredible, 
though  unsuspected — immorality  of  the  priests  of 
Koine  is  a very  evident  and  logical  one.  By  the 
diabolical  power  of  the  Pope,  the  priest  is  put  out 
of  the  ways  which  God  has  offered  to  the  gen- 
erality of  men  to  be  honest,  upright  and  holy.* 
And  after  the  Pope  has  deprived  them  of  the 
grand,  holy,  and  Divine  (in  this  sense  that  it  comes 
directly  from  God)  remedy  which  God  has  given 
to  man  against  his  own  concupiscence — holy  mar- 
riage, they  are  placed  unprotected  and  unguarded 

* “ To  avoid  fornication,  let  every  man  have  his  own  wife, 
and  let  every  woman  have  her  own  husband  ’’  (i  Cor,  vii.  2.) 


66  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

in  the  most  perilous,  difficult,  and  irresistible  moral 
dangers  which  human  ingenuity  or  depravity  can 
conceive.  Those  unmarried  men  are  forced,  from 
morning  to  night,  to  be  in  the  midst  of  beautiful 
girls,  and  tempting,  charming  women,  who  have 
to  tell  them  things  which  would  melt  the  hardest 
steel.  How  can  you  expect  that  they  will  cease  to 
be  men,  and  become  stronger  than  angels  ? 

Not  only  are  the  priests  of  Rome  deprived  by 
the  devil  of  the  onli/  remedy  which  God  has  given 
to  help  tliem  to  withstand,  but  in  the  confessional 
they  have  the  greatest  facility  which  can  possibly 
be  imagined  for  satisfying  all  the  bad  propensities 
of  fallen  human  nature.  In  the  confessional  they 
Jcnoio  those  who  are  strong,  and  they  also  know 
those  who  are  weak  among  the  females  by  whom 
they  are  surrounded ; they  know  who  would  resist 
any  attempt  from  the  enemy  ; and  they  know  who 
ure  ready ^ — nay,  who  are  longing  after  the  deceitful 
^.harrns  of  sin.  If  they  still  retain  the  fallen  nature 
)f  man,  what  a terrible  hour  for  them  ? what  fright- 
ful battles  inside  the  poor  heart  ? what  superhuman 
effort  and  strength  would  be  required  to  come  out 
a conqueror  from  that  battle  field,  where  a David 
and  a Samson  have  fallen  mortally  wounded  ? 

It  is  simply  an  act  of  supreme  stupidity  on  the 
part  of  the  Protestant,  as  well  as  Catholic  public,. 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  67 


to  suppose,  or  suspect,  or  hope  that  the  generality 
of  the  priests  can  stand  such  a trial.  The  pages  of 
the  history  of  Konie  herself  are  fiTod  with  unan- 
swerable proofs  that  the  great  generality  of  the 
confessors  fall.  If  it  were  not  so,  the  miracle  of 
Joshua,  stopping  the  march  of  the  sun  and  the 
moon,  would  be  childish  play  compared  with  the 
miracle  whicli  would  stop  and  reverse  all  the  laws 
of  our  common  fallen  nature  in  the  hearts  of  the 
100,000  Roman  Catholic  confessors  of  the  Church 
of  Rome.  Were  I attempting  to  prove,  by  public 
facts,  what  I know  of  the  horrible  depravity  caused 
by  the  confessional-box  among  the  priests  of  France, 
Canada,  Spain,  Italy,  and  England,  I should  have 
to  write  many  big  volumes  in  folio.  For  brevity’s 
sake,  I will  speak  only  of  Italy.  I take  that  coun- 
try, because,  being  under  the  very  eyes  of  their 
infallible  and  most  holy  (?)  pontiff,  being  in  the 
land  of  daily  miracles,  of  painted  Madonnas,  who 
weep  and  turn  their  eyes  left  and  right,  up  and 
down,  in  a most  marvellous  way,  being  in  the  land 
of  miraculous  medals  and  heavenly  spiritual  favors,  - 
constantly  flowing  from  the  chair  of  St.  Peter,  the 
confessors  in  Italy,  seeing  every  year  the  miracu- 
lous melting  of  the  blood  of  St.  January,  having 
in  their  midst  the  hair  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  a 
part  ol  her  sliirt,  are  in  the  best  possible  circiim- 


68  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

stances  to  be  strong,  faithful  and  holy.  Well,  let 
us  hear  the  testimouy  of  an  eye-witness,  a con- 
temporary, and  an  unimpeachable  witness  about 
the  way  the  confessors  deal  with  the  penitent 
females  in  the  holy,  apostolical,  infallible  (?) 
Church  of  Rome. 

The  witness  we  will  hear  is  of  the  purest  blood 
of  the  princes  of  Italy.  Her  name  is  Henrietta 
Carracciolo,  daughter  of  the  Marshal  Carracciolo, 
Governor  of  the  Province  of  Pari,  in  Italy.  Let  us 
hear  what  she  says  of  the  Father  Confessors,  after 
twenty  years  of  personal  experience  in  different  nun- 
neries of  Italy,  in  her  remarkable  book,  Mysteries 
of  the  Neapolitan  Convents,”  pp.  150,  151,  152: 

My  confessor  came  the  following  day,  and  I dis- 
closed to  him  the  nature  of  the  troubles  which  beset 
me.  Later  in  the  day,  seeing  that  I had  gone  down 
to  the  place  where  we  used  to  receive  tlie  holy  com- 
munion, called  Communichino,  the  conversa  of  my 
aunt  rang  the  bell  for  the  priest  to  come  with  the 
pyx.*  He  was  a man  of  about  fifty  years  of  age, 
- very  corpulent,  with  a rubicund  face,  and  a type  of 
physiognomy  as  vulgar  as  it  was  repulsive. 

‘‘I  approached  the  little  window  to  receive  the 
sacred  wafer  on  my  tongue,  with  my  eyes  closed, 

* A silver  box  containing  consecrated  bread,  which  is  be- 
lieved to  be  the' real  body,  blood  and  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ. 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  69 

as  is  customary.  I placed  it  on  my  tongue,  and, 
as  I drew  back,  I felt  my  cheeks  caressed.  I 
opened  my  eyes,  but  the  priest  had  withdrawn  his 
hand,  and,  thinking  I had  been  deceived,  I gave  it 
no  more  attention. 

“ On  the  next  occasion,  forgetful  of  what  had 
occurred  before,  I received  the  sacrament  with 
closed  eyes  again,  according  to  precept.  This 
time  I distinctly  felt  my  chin  caressed  again,  and 
on  opening  my  eyes  suddenly,  I found  the  priest 
gazing  rudely  upon  me  with  a sensual  smile  on  his 
face. 

‘‘There  could  be  no  longer  any  doubt;  these 
overtures  were  not  the  result  of  accident. 

“ The  daughter  of  Eve  is  endowed  with  a greater 
degree  of  curiosity  than  man.  It  occurred  to  me 
to  place  myself  in  a contiguous  apartment,  where  I 
could  observe  whether  this  libertine  priest  was 
accustomed  to  take  similar  liberties  with  the  nuns. 
I did  so,  and  was  fully  convinced  that  only  the  old 
left  him  without  being  caressed. 

“ All  the  others  allowed  him  to  do  with  them  as 
he  pleased  ; and  even,  in  taking  leave  of  him,  did 
so  with  the  utmost  reverence. 

“ ‘Is  this  the  respect,’  said  I to  myself,  ‘that 
the  priests  a^d  the  spouses  of  Christ  have  for  their 
sacrament  of  the  Eucharist  ? Shall  the  poor  novice 


70  THE  ERlESi;  WOMAJSI  AJND  (JUNJ^EfeSIONAL. 

be  enticed  to  leave  the  world  in  order  to  leai'n, 
in  this  school,  such  lessons  of  self-respect  and 
chastity?’  ” 

Page  163,  we  read:  ‘‘The  fanatical  passion  of 
the  nuns  for  their  confessors,  priests,  and  monks, 
exceeds  belief.  That  which  especially  renders 
their  incarceration  endurable  is  the  illimitable  op- 
portunity they  enjoy  of  seeing  and  corresponding 
with  those  persons  with  whom  they  are  in  love. 
This  freedom  localizes  and  identifies  them  with  the 
convent  so  closely  that  they  are  unhappy,  when, 
on  account  of  any  serious  sickness,  or  while  pre- 
paring to  take  the  veil,  they  are  obliged  to  pass 
some  months  in  the  bosom  of  their  own  families, 
in  company  with  their  fathers,  mothers,  brothers, 
and  sisters.  It  is  not  to  be  presumed  that  these 
relatives  would  permit  a young  girl  to  pass  many 
hours,  each  day,  in  a mysterious  colloquy  with  a 
priest,  or  a monk,  and  maintain  with  him  this  con- 
respondence.  This  is  a liberty  which  they  can 
•enjoy  in  the  convent  only. 

“ Many  are  the  hours  which  the  Ileloise  spends 
in  the  confessional,  in  agreeable  pastime  with  her 
Abelard  in  cassock. 

“Others,  whose  confessors  happen  to  be  old, 
have  in  addition  a spiritual  director,  with  whom 
ithey  amuse  themselves  a long  time  every  day 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  71 

tHe-a-tete^  in  the  parlatoria.  Wlien  this  is  not 
enough,  they  simulate  an  illness,  in  order  to  have 
him  alone  in  their  own  rooms.” 

Page  166,  we  read  : Another  nun,  being  some- 

what infirm,  her  priest  confessed  her  in  her  own 
room.  After  a time,  the  invalid  penitent  found 
herself  in  what  is  called  an  interesting  situation, 
on  which  account,  the  physician  declaring  that  her 
complaint  was  dropsy,  she  was  sent  away  from  the 
convent.” 

Page  167 : A young  educanda  was  in  the  habit 

of  going  down,  every  night,  to  the  convent  burying- 
place,  where,  by  a corridor  which  communicated 
with  the  vestry,  she  entered  into  a colloquy  with  a 
young  priest  attached  to  the  church.  Consumed 
by  an  amorous  passion,  she  was  not  deterred  by 
bad  weather  or  the  fear  of  being  discovered. 

‘‘She  heard  a great  noise,  one  night,  near  her. 
In  the  thick  darkness  which  surrounded  her,  she 
imagined  that  she  saw  a viper  winding  itself  round 
her  feet.  She  was  so  much  overcome  by  fright, 
that  she  died  from  the  effects  of  it  a few  months 
later.”  - 

Page  168:  “ One  of  the  confessors  had  a young 
penitent  in  the  convent.  Every  time  he  was 
called  to  visit  a dying  sister,  and  on  that  account 
passed  the  night  in  the  convent,  this  nun  would 


12  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFP."SSIONAL. 

climb  over  the  partition  which  separated  her  room 
from  his,  and  betake  herself  to  the  master  and 
director  of  her  soul. 

‘‘  Another,  during  the  delirium  of  a typhoid  fever 
from  which  she  was  suffering,  was  constantly 
imitating  the  action  of  sending  kisses  to  her  con- 
fessor, who  stood  by  the  side  of  her  bed.  He, 
covered  with  blushes  on  account  of  the  presence  of 
strangers,  held  a crucifix  before  the  eyes  of  the 
penitent,  and  exclaimed  in  a commiserating  tone : — 
“ ‘ Poor  thing!  kiss  thy  own  spouse  1’  ” 

Page  168:  Under  the  bonds  of  secresy,  an 

educanda,  of  fine  form  and  pleasing  manners,  and 
of  a noble  family,  confided  to  me  the  fact  of  her 
having  received,  from  the  hands  of  her  confessor, 
a very  interesting  book  (as  she  described  it)  which 
related  to  the  monastic  life.  I expressed  the  wish 
to  know  the  title,  and  she,  before  showing  it  to  me, 
took  the  precaution  to  lock  the  door. 

It  proved  to  be  the  Monaca,  by  Dalembert,  a 
book  as  all  know,  filled  with  the  most  disgusting 
obscenity.” 

Page  169:  received  once,  from  a monk,  a 

letter  in  which  he  signified  to  me  that  he  had  hardly 
seen  me  when  ‘ he  conceived  the  sweet  hope  of 
becoming  my  confessor.  ’ An  exquisite  of  the  first 
water,  a fop  of  scents  and  euphuism,  could  not  have 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  Y3 

employed  phrases  more  melodramatic,  to  demand 
whether  he  might  hope  or  despair.” 

Page  169  : A priest  who  enjoyed  the  reputa- 

tion of  being  an  incorruptible  sacerdote,  when  he 
saw  me  pass  through  the  parlatoria,  used  to  address 
me  as  follows  : — * 

“ ‘ Ps,  dear,  come  here  ; Ps,  Ps,  come  here  !’ 
‘‘These  words,  addressed  to  me  by  a priest, 
fv^ere  nauseous  in  the  extreme. 

“Finally,  another  priest,  the  most  annoying  of 
all  for  his  obstinate  assiduity,  sought  to  secure  my 
affections  at  all  cost.  There  was  not  an  image  pro- 
fane poetry  could  afford  him,  nor  a sophism  he 
could  borrow  from  rhetoric,  nor  wily  interpretation 
he  could  give  to  the  Word  of  God,  which  he  did 
not  employ  to  convert  me  to  his  wishes.  Here  is 
an  example  of  his  logic : — 

“‘Fair  daughter,’  said  he  to  me  one  day,  • 
‘ knowest  thou  who  God  truly  is  ? ’ 

“ ‘ He  is  the  Creator  of  the  Universe,’  I answered 
Jrily. 

“ ‘Ho, — no, — no, — no!  that  it  is  not  enough,’ 
he  replied,  laughing  at  my  ignorance.  ‘ God  is 
love,  but  love  in  the  abstract,  which  receives  its 
incarnation  in  the  mutual  affection  of  two  hearts 
which  idolise  each  other.  You,  then,  must  not 
only  love  God  in  His  abstract  existence,  but  must 


74  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

also  love  Him  in  His  incarnation,  that  is,  in  the 
exclusive  love  of  a man  who  adores  you.  Quod 
Dens  est  amor^  nee  colitur  nisi  amando,  ’ 

‘‘‘Then,’  I replied,  ‘a  woman  who  adores  her 
own  lover  would  adore  Divinity  itself?  ’ 

“Assuredly,’  reiterated  the  priest,  over  and  over 
again,  taking  courage  from  my  remark,  and  chuck- 
ling at  what  seemed  to  him  to  be  the  effect  of  his 
catechism. 

“ ‘ In  that  case,’  said  I,  hastily,  “ I should  select 
for  my  lover  rather  a man  of  the  world  than  a 
priest.’ 

“‘God  preserve  you,  my  daughter!  God  pre- 
serve you  from  that  sin!  ’ added  my  interlocutor, 
apparently  frightened,  ‘ To  love  a man  of  the  world, 
a sinner,  a wretch,  an  unbeliever,  an  infidel ! Why, 
you  would  go  immediately  to  hell.  The  love  of  a 
priest  is  a sacred  love,  while  that  of  a profane  man 
is  infamy  ; the  faith  of  a priest  emanates  from  that 
granted  to  the  holy  Church,  while  that  of  the  pro- 
fane is  false — false  as  the  vanity  of  the  world. 
The  priest  purifies  his  affections  daily  in  commun- 
ion with  the  Holy  Spirit ; the  man  of  the  world  (if 
he  ever  knows  love  at  all)  sweeps  the  muddy  cross- 
ings of  the  street  with  it  day  and  night.’ 

“ ‘ But  it  is  the  heart,  as  well  as  the  conscience, 
which  prompts  me  to  fly  from  the  priests,’  I replied. 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 


“ ‘ Well,  if  you  cannot  love  me  because  I am 
your  confessor,  I will  find  means  to  assist  you  to 
get  rid  of  your  scruples.  We  will  place  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ  before  all  our  affectionate  demon- 
strations, and  thus  our  love  will  be  a grateful  offer- 
ing to  the  Lord,  and  will  ascend  fragrant  with  per- 
fume to  Heaven,  like  the  smoke  of  the  incense  of 
the  sanctuary.  Say  to  me,  for  example,  love 
you  in  Jesus  Christ;  last  night  I dreamed  of  you 
in  Jesus  Christ;”  and  you  will  have  a tranquil 
conscience,  because  in  doing  this  you  will  sanctify 
every  transport  of  jowv  love.” 

‘^Several  circumstances  not  indicated  here,  by 
the  way,  compelled  me  to  come  in  frequent  con- 
tact with  this  priest  afterwards,  and  I do  not,  there- 
fore, give  his  name.” 

‘‘Of  a very  respectable  monk,  respectable  alike 
for  his  age  and  his  moral  character,  I enquired 
what  signified  the  prefixing  the  name  of  Jesua 
Christ  to  amorous  apostrophes.” 

“It  is,’  he  said,  ‘an  expression  used  by  a hor 
rible  sect,  and  one  unfortunately  only  too  numei* 
ous,  which,  thus  abusing  the  name  of  our  Lord, 
permits  to  its  members  the  most  unbridled  licem 
tiousness.” 

And  it  is  my  sad  duty  to  say,  before  the  whole 
world,  that  I know  that  by  far  the  greater  part  of 


t6  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN,  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

the  confessors  in  America,  Spain,  France,  an , 
England,  reason  and  act  just  like  that  licentious 
Italian  priest. 

Christian  nations!  If  you  could  know  what  will 
become  of  the  virtue  of  your  fair  daughters  if  you 
allow  secret  or  public  slaves  of  Rome  under  the 
name  of  Ritualists  to  restore  the  auricular  confes- 
sion, with  what  a storm  of  holy  indignation  yow 
would  defeat  their  plans  I 


CHAPTEE  III. 

THE  CONFESSIONAL  IS  THE  MODERN  SODOM. 

IF  anyone  wants  to  hear  an  eloquent  oration,  let 
him  go  where  the  Eoman  Catholic  priest  is 
preaching  on  the  divine  institution  of  auricular 
confession.  There  is  no  subject,  perhaps,  on  which 
the  priests  display  so  much  zeal  and  earnestness, 
an  1 of  which  they  speak  so  often.  For  this  insti- 
tution is  really  the  corner-stone  of  their  stupendous 
power ; it  is  the  secret  of  their  almost  irresistible 
influence.  Let  the  people  open  their  eyes,  to-day, 
to  the  truth,  and  understand  that  auricular  con- 
fession is  one  of  the  most  stupendous  impostures 
which  Satan  has  invented,  to  corrupt  and  enslave 
the  world ; let  the  people  desert  the  confessional- 
box  to-day,  and  to-morrow  Eomanism  will  fall  into 
the  dust.  The  priests  understand  this  very  well ; 
hence  their  constant  efforts  to  deceive  the  people 
on  that  question.  To  attain  their  object,  they  have 
recourse  to  the  most  egregious  falsehoods ; the 
Scriptures  are  misrepresented;  the  holy  Fathers 
arc  orougnt  ^o  say  the  very  contrarv  of  what  they 


78  THE  PKIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

have  ever  thought  or  written ; and  tlie  most  extra- 
ordinary miracles  and  stories  are  invented.  But 
two  of  the  arguments  to  which  they  have  more 
often  recourse,  are  the  great  and  perpetual  miracles 
which  God  makes  to  keep  the  purity  of  the  con- 
fessional undefiled,  and  its  secrets  marvellously 
sealed.  They  make  the  people  believe  that  the 
vow  of  perpetual  chastity  changes  their  nature, 
turns  them  into  angels,  and  puts  them  above  the 
common  frailties  of  the  fallen  children  of  Adam. 

Bravely,  and  with  a brazen  face,  when  they  are 
interrogated  on  that  subject,  they  say  that  they 
have  special  graces  to  remain  pure  and  undefiled 
in  the  midst  of  the  greatest  dangers ; that  the  Yir- 
gin  Mary,  to  whom  they  are  consecrated,  is  their 
powerful  advocate  to  obtain  from  her  Son  tliat 
superhuman  virtue  of  chastity ; that  what  would 
be  a cause  of  sure  perdition  to  common  men,  is 
without  peril  and  danger  for  a true  Son  of  Mary ; 
and,  with  amazing  stupidity,  the  people  consent  to 
be  duped,  blinded,  and  deceived  by  those  fooleries. 

But  here,  let  the  world  learn  the  truth  as  it  is, 
from  one  who  knows  perfectly  everything  inside 
and  outside  the  walls  of  that  Modern  Babylon. 
Though  many,  I know,  will  disbelieve  me  and  say, 
“We  hope  you  are  mistaken  ; it  is  impossible  that 
the  priests  of  Rome  should  turn  out  to  be  such  irn- 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  79 

postors  ; they  may  be  mistaken  ; they  may  believe 
and  repeat  things  which  are  not  true,  but  they  are 
honest;  they  cannot  be  such  impudent  deceivers.’^ 
Yes ; though  I know  that  many  will  hardly  be- 
\ieve  me,  I must  tell  the  truth. 

Those  very  men,  who,  when  speaking  to  the  peo- 
ple in  such  glowing  terms  of  the  marvellous  way 
they  are  kept  pure,  in  the  midst  of  the  dangers 
which  surround  them,  honestly  blush — and  often 
weep — when  they  speak  to  each  other  (when 
are  sure  that  nobody,  except  priesis,  hear  them). 
They  deplore  their  own  moral  degradation  with  the 
utmost  shicerity  and  honesty ; they  ask  from  God 
and  men,  pardon  for  their  unspeakable  depravity. 

T have  here — in  my  hands,  and  under  my  eyes— 
one  of  their  most  remarkable  secret  books,  written 
(or  at  least  approved)  by  one  of  their  greatest  and 
best  bishops  and  cardinals,  the  Cardinal  de  Bom 
aid.  Archbishop  of  Lyons. 

The  book  is  written  for  the  use  of  priests  alone. 
Its  title  is,  in  French,  ‘‘  Examen  de  Conscience  des 
Pretres.”  At  page  34,  we  read  : — 

Have  I left  certain  persons  to  make  the  declare 
ations  of  their  sins  in  such  a way  that  the  imagina- 
tion, once  taken  and  impressed  by  pictures  and 
representations,  could  be  dragged  into  a long  course 
of  temptations  and  grevious  sins  ? The  priests  do 


80  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

not  pay  sufBcient  attention  to  the  continual  tempta- 
tions caused  by  the  hearing  of  confessions.  The 
soul  IS  gradually  enfeebled  in  such  a way  that,  at 
the  end,  the  virtue  of  chastity  is  forever  lost.” 

Here  is  the  address  of  a priest  to  other  priests, 
when  he  suspects  that  nobody  but  his  co-sinner 
brethern  hear  him.  Here  is  the  honest  language 
of  truth.  ® ® 

In  the  presence  of  God  those  priest?  acknowl- 
lljgeHia^y  have  not  a sufficient  fear  of  those 
^^^"^^^ord^hat  an  acknowledgment- 
constant  ! ) temptation^^S^J^^  honestly  confess 
that  these  temptations  come  from 
the  confessions  of  so  many  scandalous  sins.  Here 
the  priests  honestly  acknowledge  that  those  con- 
stant temptations,  at  the  end,  destroy  forever  in 
them  the  holy  virtue  of  purity.'^ 

Ah!  would  to  God  that  all  the  honest  girls  and 
women  whom  the  devil  entraps  into  the  snares  of 
auricular  confession,  could  hear  the  cries  of  distress 
of  those  poor  priests  whom  they  have  tempted— ^ 
forever  destroyed  ! Would  to  God  that  they  could 

* And  remark,  that  all  their  religious  authors  who  have 
written  on  that  subject  hold  the  same  language.  They  all 
speak  of  those  continual  degrading  temptations  ; they  all  lament 
the  damning  sins  which  follow  those  temptations  ; they  all  en- 
treat the  priests  to  fight  those  temptations  and  repent  of  those 


sms. 


tilE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  81 

see  iKe  torrents  of  tears  shed  by  so  many  priests, 
because,  from  the  hearing  of  confessions,  they  had 
forever  lost  the  virtue  of  purity!  They  would  un- 
derstand that  the  confessional  is  a snare,  a pit  of 
perdition,  a Sodom  for  the  priest;  and  they  would 
be  struck  with  horror  and  shame  at  the  idea  of  the 
wntinual,  shameful,  dishonest,  degrading  tempta- 
tions, by  which  their  confessor  is  tormented  day 
and  night — they  would  blush  on  account  of  the 
shameful  sins  which  their  confessors  have  com- 
mitted—they  would  weep  over  the  irreparable  loss 
of  their  purity — they  would  promise  before  God 
and  men  that  the  confessional-box  should  never  see 
them  any  more — they  would  prefer  to  be  burned 
alive,  if  any  sentiment  of  honesty  and  charity  re- 
mained in  them,  rather  than  consent  to  be  a cause 
of  constant  temptations  and  damnable  sins  to  that 
man. 

W ould  that  respectable  lady  go  any  more  to  con- 
fess to  that  man,  if,  after  her  confession,  she  could 
hear  him  lamenting  the  continual,  shameful  temp- 
tations which  assail  him  day  and  night,  and  the 
damning  sins  which  he  has  committed  on  account 
of  what  she  has  confessed  to  him?  No! — a thou- 
sand times,  no! 

Would  that  honest  father  allow  his  beloved 
daughter  to  go  any  more  to  that  man  to  confess,  if 


82  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  A *A>Ni  ESoIOxVAL. 

he  could  hear  his  cries  of  distress,  and  see  his  tears 
flowing,  because  the  hearing  of  those  confessions  is 
the  source  of  constant,  shameful  temptations  and 
degrading  iniquities!^ 

Oh ! would  to  God  that  the  honest  Romanisit:^  all 
over  the  world — for  there  are  millions,  who,  though 
deluded,  are  honest — could  see  what  is  going  on  in 
the  heart,  and  the  imagination  of  the  poor  con- 
fessor when  he  is,  there,  surrounded  by  attractive 
women  and  tempting  girls,  speaking  to  him  from 
morning  to  night  on  things  which  a man  cannot 
hear  without  falling.  Then,  that  modern  but  grand 
imposture,  called  the  Sacrament  of  Penance,  w ould 
60011  be  ended. 

But  here,  again,  who  will  not  lament  the  conse- 
quences of  the  total  perversity  of  human  na- 
ture!^ Those  very  same  priests  who,  when  alone, 
in  the  presence  of  God,  speak  so  plainly  of  the  con- 
slant  temptations  by  which  they  are  assailed,  and 
who  so  sincerely  weep  over  the  irreparable  loss  of 
their  virtue  of  purity,  when  they  think  that  nobody 
hears  them,  will  yet,  in  public,  with  a brazen  face, 
deny  those  temptations.  They  will  indignantly 
rebuke  you  as  a slanderer  if  you  say  anything  to 
lead  them  to  suppose  that  you  fear  for  their  purity, 
when  they  hear  the  confessions  of  girls  or  married 
women  I 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  83 

There  is  not  a single  one  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
authors,  who  have  written  on  that  subject  for  the 
priests,  who  has  not  deplored  their  innumerable 
and  degrading  sins  against  purity,  on  account  of 
the  auricular  confession;  but  those  very  men  will 
be  the  first  to  try  to  prove  the  very  contrary  when 
•they  write  books  for  the  people.  I have  no  words 
to  tell  what  was  my  surprise  when,  for  the  first 
time,  I saw  that  this  strange  duplicity  seemed  to 
be  one  of  the  fundamental  stones  of  my  Church. 

It  was  not  very  long  after  my  ordination,  when  a 
priest  came  to  me  to  confess  the  most  deplorable 
things.  He  honestly  told  me  that  there  was  not  a 
single  one  of  the  girls  or  married  women  whom  he 
had  confessed,  who  had  not  been  a secret  cause  of 
the  most  shameful  sins,  in  thought,  desires,  or 
actions;  but  he  wept  so  bitterly  over  his  degrada- 
tion, his  heart  seemed  so  sincerely  broken  on  ac- 
count of  his  own  iniquities,  that  I could  not  refrain 
from  mixing  my  tears  with  his;  I wept  with  him, 
and  I gave  him  pardon  for  all  his  sins,  as  I then 
thought  I had  the  power  and  right  to  give  it. 

Two  hours  afterwards,  that  same  priest,  who  was 
a good  speaker,  was  in  the  pulpit.  His  sermon  was 
on  ^^The  Divinity  of  Auricular  Confession;”  and, 
to  prove  that  it  was  an  institution  coming  directly 
from  Christ,  he  said  that  the  Son  of  God  was  per 


84  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

forming  a constant  miracle  to  strengthen  His 
priests,  and  prevent  them  from  falling  into  sins,  on 
account  of  what  they  might  have  heard  in  the  con- 
fessional! 1 ! 

The  daily  abominations,  which  are  the  result  of 
auricular  confession,  are  so  horrible  and  so  well 
known  by  the  popes,  the  bishops,  and  the  priests, 
that  several  times,  public  attempts  have  been  made 
to  diminish  them  by  punishing  the  guilty  priests; 
but  all  these  commendable  efforts  have  failed. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  of  those  efforts  was 
made  by  Pius  IV.  about  the  year  1560.  A Bull 
was  published  by  him,  by  which  all  the  girls  and 
married  women  who  had  been  seduced  into  sins  by 
their  confessors,  were  ordered  to  denounce  them; 
and  a certain  number  of  high  church  officers  of  the 
Holy  Inquisition  were  authorized  to  take  the  de- 
positions of  the  fallen  penitents.  The  thing  was, 
at  first,  tried  at  Seville,  one  of  the  principal  cities 
of  Spain.  When  the  edict  was  first  published,  the 
number  of  women  who  felt  bound  in  conscience  to 
go  and  depose  against  their  father  confessors,  was 
so  great,  that  though  there  were  thirty  notaries, 
and  as  many  inquisitors,  to  take  the  depositions, 
they  were  unable  to  do  the  work  in  the  appointed 
time.  Thirty  days  more  were  given,  but  the  in- 
quisitors were  so  overwhelmed  with  the  numberless 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  85 


depositions,  that  another  period  of  time  of  the  same 
length  was  given.  But  this,  again,  was  found  in- 
sufficient. At  the  end,  it  was  found  that  the  num* 
her  of  priests  who  had  destroyed  the  purity  of 
Iheir  penitents  was  so  great  that  it  was  impossible 
to  punish  them  all.  The  inquest  was  given  up,  and 
the  guilty  confessors  remained  unpunished.  Severn! 
attempts  of  the  same  nature  have  been  tried  by 
^ther  popes,  but  with  about  the  same  success. 

But  if  those  hones  t attempts  on  the  part  of  some 
well-meaning  popes,  to  punish  the  confessors  who 
destroy  the  purity  of  the  penitents,  have  failed  to 
touch  the  guilty  parties,  they  are,  in  the  good 
orovidence  of  God,  infallible  witnesses  to  tell  to 
the  world  that  auricular  confession  is  nothing  else 
than  a snare  to  the  confessor  and  his  dupes.  Yes, 
those  Bulls  of  the  popes  are  an  irrefragable  testi- 
mony that  auricular  confession  is  the  most  pow- 
erful invention  of  the  devil  to  corrupt  the  heart, 
pollute  the  body,  and  damn  the  soul  of  the  pri^t 
and  his  female  penitent  1 


CHAPTER  IV. 

flow  THE  VOW  OF  CELIBACY  OF  THE  PEIESTS  IS  MADE 
EASY  BY  AURICULAR  CONFESSION. 

Are  not  facts  the  best  arguments?  Well,  here 
is  an  undeniable,  a public  fact,  which  is  con- 
nected with  a thousand  collateral  ones,  to  prove 
that  auricular  confession  is  the  most  powerful 
machine  of  demoralization  which  the  world  has 
ever  seen. 

About  the  year  1830,  there  was  in  Quebec  a fine- 
looking  young  priest;  he  had  a magnificent  voice, 
and  was  a pretty  good  speaker.*  Through  regard 
for  his  family,  which  is  still  numerous  and  respect- 
able, I will  not  give  his  name:  I will  call  him 
Rev.  Mr.  — . Having  been  invited  to  preach 

in  a parish  of  Canada,  about  100  miles  distant  from 
Quebec,  called  Vercheres,  he  was  also  requested  to 
hear  the  confessions,  during  a few  days  of  a kind 
of  Novena  (nine  days  of  revival),  which  was  going 
on  in  that  place.  Among  his  penitents  was  a beau- 
tiful young  girl,  about  nineteen  years  old.  She 


♦He  is  dead  long  ago. 


THE  PR1EST>  WOMAN  AND  CONEESSIONA/-.  8l 

wanted  to  make  a general  confession  of  all  her  sins 
from  the  first  age  of  reason,  and  the  confessor 
granted  her  request.  Twice,  every  day,  she  wa? 
there,  at  the  feet  of  hnr  handsome  young  spiritual 
physician,  telling  all  her  thoughts,  her  deeds,  and 
her  desires.  Sometimes  sh^  was  remarked  to  have 
remained  a whole  hour  in  the  confessional-box, 
accusing  herself  of  all  her  human  frailties.  What 
did  she  say?  God  only  knows;  but  v/hat  became 
hereafter  known  by  a great  part  of  the  entire  part 
of  the  population  of  Canada  is,  that  the  confessor 
fell  in  love  with  his  fair  penitent,  and  that  she 
burned  with  the  same  irresistible  fires  for  her  con- 
fessor— as  it  so  often  happens. 

It  was  not  an  easy  matter  for  the  priest  and  the 
young  girl  to  meet  each  other  in  as  complete  a 
tete-a-tete  as  they  both  wished;  for  there  were  too 
many  eyes  upon  them.  But  the  confessor  was  a 
man  of  resources.  On  the  last  day  of  Novena,  he 
said  to  his  beloved  penitent,  am  going  now 
to  Montreal;  but  in  three  days,  I will  take  the 
steamer  back  to  Quebec.  That  steamer  is  accus- 
tomed to  stop  here.  At  about  twelve,  at  night, 
be  on  the  wharf  dressed  as  a young  man;  but  let 
no  one  know  your  secret.  You  will  embark  in  the 
steamboat,  where  you  will  not  be  known,  if  you 
have  anv  orudence.  You  will  come  to  Ojiebec, 


88  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

where  you  will  be  engaged  as  a servant  boy  by  the 
curate,  of  whom  I am  the  vicar.  Nobody  will 
know  your  sex  except  myself,  and,  there,  we  will 
be  happy  together.” 

The  fourth  day  after  this,  there  was  a great  des> 
olation  in  the  family  of  the  girl ; for  she  had  sud 
denly  disappeared,  and  her  robes  had  been  found 
on  the  shores  of  the  St  Lawrence  Eiver.  There 
was  not  the  least  doubt  in  the  minds  of  all  relations 
and  friends,  that  the  general  confession  she  had 
made,  had  entirely  upset  her  mmd ; and  in  an  ex- 
cess of  craziness,  she  had  thrown  herself  into  the 
deep  and  rapid  waters  of  the  St.  Lawrence  Many 
searches  were  made  to  find  her  body ; but,  of 
course,  all  in  vain.  Many  public  and  private 
prayers  were  offered  to  God  to  help  her  escape  from 
the  fiames  of  Purgatory,  where  she  might  be  con- 
demned to  suffer  for  many  years,  and  much  money 
was  given  to  the  priest  to  sing  high  ma^^ses,  in 
order  to  extinguish  the  fires  of  that  burning  prison, 
where  every  Roman  Catholic  believes  he  must  go 
to  be  purified  before  entering  the  regions  of  eternal 
happiness. 

I will  not  give  the  name  of  the  girl,  though  I 
have  it-  through  compassion  for  her  family  ; I will 
call  her  Geneva. 

Well,  when  father  and  mother,  brothers,  sisters, 


The  Confessional  is  the  Modem  Sodom. 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 
URim 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  89 

and  friends  were  shedding  tears  at  the  sad  end  of 
Geneva,  she  was  in  the  parsonage  of  the  rich  Curate 
of  Quebec,  well  paid,  well  fed,  and  dressed — happj 
and  cheerful  with  her  beloved  confessor.  She  was 
exceedingly  neat  in  her  person,  always  obliging, 
and  ready  to  run  and  do  what  you  wanted  at  the 
very  twinkling  of  your  eye.  Her  new  name  was 
Joseph,  by  which  I will  now  call  her. 

Many  times  I have  seen  the  smart  Joseph  at  the 
parsonage  of  Quebec,  and  admired  his  politeness 
and  good  manners ; though  it  seemed  to  me,  some- 
times, that  he  looked  too  much  like  a girl,  and  that 
he  was  a little  too  much  at  ease  with  the  Rev.  Mr. 

D , and  also  with  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop 

M . But  every  time  the  idea  came  to  me 

that  Joseph  was  a girl,  I felt  indignant  with  myself. 
The  high  respect  I had  for  the  Coadjutor  Bishop, 
who  was  also  the  Curate  of  Quebec,  made  it  almost 
impossible  to  imagine  that  he  would  ever  allow  a 
beautiful  girl  to  sleep  in  the  adjoining  room  to  his 
own,  and  to  serve  him  day  and  night;  for  Joseph’s 
sleeping-room  was  just  by  that  of  the  Coadjutor, 
who,  for  several  bodily  infirmities  (which  were  not 
a secret  to  every  one),  wanted  the  help  of  his  ser- 
vant several  times  at  night,  as  well  as  during  the 
day 

Things  went  on  very  smoothly  with  Joseph  dur 


GO  THE  PRIEST  WOMAN,  AND  CONFESSIONAL, 

ing  two  or  three  years,  in  the  Coadjutor  Bishop’s 
house ; but  at  the  end,  it  seemed  to  many  people 
outside,  that  Joseph  was  taking  too  great  airs  of 
familiarity  with  the  young  vicars,  and  even  with 
the  venerable  Coadjutor.  Several  of  the  citizens 
of  Quebec,  who  were  going  more  often  than  others 
to  the  parsonage,  were  surprised  and  shocked  at 
the  familiarity  of  that  servant  boy  with  his  mas- 
ters ; he  really  seemed  sometimes  to  be  on  equal 
terms  with,  if  not  somewhat  above  them. 

An  intimate  friend  of  the  Bishop — a most  de- 
voted Roman  Catholic — who  was  my  near  relative, 
took  upon  himself  one  day  to  respectfully  say  to 
the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  that  it  would  be  prudent  to 
turn  out  that  impudent  young  man  from  his  pal- 
ace— that  he  was  the  object  of  strong  and  mosf 
deplorable  suspicions. 

The  position  of  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  and  hki 
vicars,  was,  then,  not  a very  agreeable  one.  Their 
barque  had  evidently  drifted  among  dangerous 
rocks.  To  keep  Joseph  among  them  was  impossi- 
ble, after  the  friendly  advice  which  had  come  from 
such  a high  quarter ; and  to  dismiss  him  was  not 
less  dangerous ; he  knew  too  much  of  the  interior 
and  secret  lives  of  all  these  holy  (?)  celibates,  to 
deal  with  him  as  with  another  common  servant- 
man.  With  a single  word  of  his  lips  he  could 


THE  PRIEST,  V/OMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 


91 


destroy  them : they  were  as  if  tied  to  his  feet  by 
ropes,  which,  at  first,  seemed  made  witli  sweet 
cakes  and  ice-cream,  but  had  suddenly  turned  into 
burning  steel  chains.  Several  days  of  anxiety 
passed  away,  and  many  sleepless  nights  succeeded 
the  too  happy  ones  of  better  times.  But  what  was 
to  bt  done  ? There  were  breakers  ahead  ; breakers 
on  th^  right,  on  the  left,  and  on  every  side.  How- 
ever, when  everyone,  particularly  the  venerable  (?) 
Coadj.  itor,  felt  as  criminals  who  expect  their  sen- 
tence, and  that  their  horizon  seemed  surrounded 
absolu  i^ely  by  only  dark  and  stormy  clouds,  a happy 
openii  g suddenly  presented  itself  to  the  anxious 
sailors 

The  curate  of  ‘‘Les  Eboulements,’’  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Clement,  had  just  come  to  Quebec  on  some 
private  business,  and  had  taken  up  his  quarters  in 
the  hospitable  house  of  his  old  friend,  the  Right 

Rev.  , Bishop  Coadjutor.  Both  had  been 

on  very  intimate  terms  for  many  years,  and  in 
many  instances  they  had  been  of  great  service  to 
each  other.  The  Pontiff  of  the  Church  of  Canada, 
hoping  that  his  tried  friend  would  perhaps  help  him 
out  of  the  terrible  difSculty  of  the  moment,  frankly 
told  him  all  about  Joseph,  and  asked  him  what  he 
ought  to  do  under  such  difficult  circumstances. 

My  Lord.*'  said  the  curate  of  the  Eboulements, 


92  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

Joseph  is  just  the  servant  I want.  Pay  him  well^ 
that  he  may  remain  your  friend,  and  that  his  lipa 
may  be  sealed,  and  allow  me  to  take  him  with  me. 
My  housekeeper  left  me  a few  weeks  ago ; T art 
alone  in  my  parsonage  with  my  old  servant-man 
Joseph  is  just  the  person  I want.” 

It  would  be  difficult  to  tell  the  joy  of  the  pooi 
Bishop  and  his  vicars,  when  they  saw  that  heavy 
stone  they  had  on  their  neck  thus  removed. 

J oseph,  once  installed  into  the  parsonage  of  the 
pious  (?)  parish  priest  of  the  Eboulements,  soon 
gained  the  favor  of  the  whole  people  by  his  good 
and  winning  manners,  and  every  parishioner  com- 
plimented the  curate  on  the  smartness  of  his  new 
servant.  The  priest,  of  course,  knew  a little  more 
of  that  smartness  than  the  rest  of  the  people. 
Three  years  passed  on  very  smoothly.  The  priest 
and  his  servant  seemed  to  be  on  the  most  perfect 
terms.  The  only  thing  which  marred  the  happi- 
ness of  that  lucky  couple  was  that,  now  and  then, 
some  of  the  farmers  whose  eyes  were  sharper  than 
those  of  their  neighbors,  seemed  to  think  that  the 
intimacy  between  the  two  was  going  a little  too  far, 
and  that  Joseph  was  really  keeping  in  his  hands 
the  sceptre  of  the  little  priestly  kingdom.  NotL 
ing  could  be  done  without  his  advice ; he  was 
’T^^ddling  in  all  the  small  and  big  affairs  of  the 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  93 

parish,  and  the  curate  seemed  sometimes  to  be 
rather  the  servant  than  the  master  in  his  own  house 
and  parish.  Those  who  had,  at  first,  made  these 
remarks  privately,  began,  little  by  little,  to  convey 
their  views  to  their  next  neighbor,  and  this  one  to 
the  next : in  that  way,  at  the  end  of  the  third  year, 
grave  and  serious  suspicions  began  to  spread  from 
one  to  the  other  in  such  a way  that  the  Marguilliers 
(a  kind  of  Elders),  thought  proper  to  say  to  the 
priest  that  it  would  be  better  for  him  to  turn  Joseph 
out  than  to  keep  him  any  longer.  But  the  old 
curate  had  passed  so  many  happy  hours  with  his 
faithful  Joseph  that  it  was  as  hard  as  death  to  give 
him  up. 

lie  knew,  by  confession,  that  a girl  in  the  vicin- 
ity was  given  to  an  unmentionable  abomination,  to 
which  Joseph  was  also  addicted.  He  went  to  her 
and  proposed  that  she  should  marry  Joseph,  and 
that  he  (the  priest)  would  help  them  to  live  com- 
fortably. Joseph,  in  order  to  live  near  his  good 
master,  consented  also  to  marry  the  girl.  Both 
knew  very  well  what  the  other  was.  The  banns 
were  published  during  three  Sabbaths,  after  which 
the  old  curate  blessed  the  marriage  of  Joseph  with 
the  girl  of  his  parishioner. 

They  lived  together  as  husband  and  wife,  in  such 
harmony  that  nobody  could  suspect  the  horrible 


94  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

depravity  which  was  concealed  behind  that  union. 
Joseph  continued,  with  his  wife,  to  work  often  for 
his  priest,  till  after  some  time  that  priest  was  re^ 
moved,  and  another  curate,  called  T^treau^  was 
sent  in  his  place. 

This  new  curate,  knowing  absolutely  nothing  oi 
that  mystery  of  iniquity,  employed  also  Joseph 
and  his  wife,  several  times.  One  day,  when  Joseph 
was  working  at  the  door  of  the  parsonage,  in  the 
presence  of  several  people,  a stranger  arrived,  and 
enquired  of  him  if  the  Eev.  Mr.  Tdtreau,  the  cur- 
ate, was  there. 

Joseph  answered  “ Yes,  sir.  But  as  you  seem 
to  be  a stranger,  would  you  allow  me  to  ask  you 
whence  you  come  ? ” 

‘‘It  is  very  easy,  sir,  to  satisfy  you.  I corno 
from  Yercheres,”  replied  the  stranger. 

At  the  word  “ Yercheres  ” Joseph  turned  so  pal^ 
that  the  stranger  could  not  but  be  struck  with  his 
sudden  change  of  color. 

Then,  fixing  his  eyes  on  Joseph,  he  cried  ouU 
“ Oh  my  God  ! what  do  I see  here  ! Geneva  I 
Geneva  ! I recognize  you,  and  here  you  are  in  the 
disguise  of  a man  ! ” 

“Dear  Uncle”  (for  it  was  her  uncle),  “for  God's 
sake,”  she  cried,  “ do  not  say  a word  more !” 

But  it  was  too  late.  The  people,  who  were  there. 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  95 

had  heard  the  uncle  and  niece.  Their  long  secret 
suspicions  were  well-founded — one  of  their  former 
priests  had  kept  a girl  under  the  disguise  of  a man 
in  his  house ! and,  to  blind  his  people  more 
thoroughly,  he  had  married  that  girl  to  another 
one,  in  order  to  have  them  both  in  his  house  when 
he  pleased,  without  awakening  any  suspicion  ! 

The  news  went  almost  as  quick  as  lightning  from 
one  end  to  the  other  of  the  parish,  and  spread  all 
over  the  northern  country  watered  by  the  St.  Law- 
rence River. 

It  is  more  easy  to  imagine  than  express  the  sen- 
timents of  surprise  and  horror  which  filled  every- 
one. The  justices  of  the  peace  took  up  the  matter ; 
J oseph  was  brought  before  the  civil  tribunal,  which 
decided  that  a physician  should  be  charged  to 
make,  not  a post-mortem^  but  an  ante-mortem  in- 
quest. The  Honorable  Lateriere,  who  was  called, 
and  made  the  proper  inquiry,  declared  that  Joseph 
was  a girl ; and  the  bonds  of  marriage  were  legally 
dissolved. 

During  that  time  the  honest  Rev.  Mr.  T^treau, 
struck  with  horror,  had  sent  an  express  to  the 
Right  Reverend  Bishop  Coadjutor,  of  Quebec,  in- 
arming him  that  the  young  man  whom  he  had 
kept  in  his  house  several  years,  under  the  name  of 
loseph,  was  a girl. 


56  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

Now,  wliat  were  they  to  do  with  the  girl,  aftei 
all  was  discovered  ? Her  presence  in  Canada  would 
forever  compromise  the  holy  (?)  Church  of  Rome. 
She  knew  too  well  how  the  priests,  through  the 
confessional,  select  their  victims,  and  help  them- 
selves  in  their  company,  in  keeping  their  solemn 
vows  of  celibacy ! What  would  have  become  of 
the  respect  paid  to  the  priest,  if  she  had  been  taken 
by  the  hand  and  invited  to  speak  bravely  and  boldly 
before  the  people  of  Canada? 

The  holy  (?)  Bishop  and  his  vicars  understood 
these  things  very  well. 

They  immediately  sent  a trustworthy  man  with. 
£500,  to  say  to  the  girl  that  if  she  remained  at 
Canada,  she  could  be  prosecuted  and  severly  pun- 
ished ; that  it  was  her  interest  to  leave  the  country, 
and  emigrate  to  the  United  States.  They  offered 
her  tho  £500  if  she  would  promise  to  go  and  never 
return. 

She  accepted  the  offer,  crossed  the  lines,  and  has 
never  gone  back  to  Canada,  where  her  sad  history 
is  well  known  by  thousands  and  thousands. 

In  the  providence  of  God  I was  invited  to  preach 
In  that  parish  soon  after,  and  I learned  these  facts 
accurately. 

T)ie  Rev.  Mr.  T^treau,  under  whose  pastorate 
this  g'^eat  iniquity  was  detected,  began  from  that 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  97 

time  to  have  his  eyes  opened  to  the  awful  depravity 
of  the  priests  of  Kome  through  tlie  confessional. 

He  wept  and  cried  over  his  own  degradation  in 
the  midst  of  that  modern  Sodom.  Our  merciful 
God  looked  down  with  compassion  upon  him,  and 
sent  him  His  saving  grace.  Not  long  after,  he  sent 
to  the  Bishop  his  renunciation  of  the  errors  and 
abominations  of  Romanism. 

To-day  he  is  working  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord 
with  the  Methodists  in  the  city  of  Montreal,  where 
he  is  ready  to  prove  the  correctness  of  what  I say.'^ 

Let  those  who  have  ears  to  hear,  and  eyes  to 
:see,  understand,  by  this  fact,  that  Pagan  nations 
have  not  known  any  institution  more  depraving 
than  Auricular  Confession. 

* This  was  written  in  1874.  Now,  in  1880,  I have  to  say 
that  Rev.  Mr.  T^treau  died  in  1877,  in  the  peace  of  God,  in 
Montreal.  Twice  before  his  death  he  ordered  out  the  priests  of 
Rome,  who  had  come  to  try  to  persuade  him  to  make  his  peace 
with  the  Pope,  calling  them  “ Suppots  de  Satan  — “ Devil’s 
Messengers.” 


CHAPTEE  V. 

THE  HIGHLY-EDUCATED  AND  KEFINED  WOMAN  IN  THE 
CONFESSIONAL. WHAT  BECOMES  OF  HER  UNCON- 
DITIONAL SURRENDER. HER  IRREPARABLE  RUIN. 

The  most  skilful  warrior  has  never  had  to  dis- 
play so  much  skill  and  so  many  ruses  de  guerre 
— he  has  never  had  to  use  more  tremendous  efforts 
to  reduce  and  storm  an  impregnable  citadel,  than 
the  confessor,  who  wants  to  reduce  and  storm  the 
citadel  of  self-respect  and  honesty  which  God  Him- 
self has  built  around  the  soul  and  the  heart  of 
every  daughter  of  Eve. 

But,  as  it  is  through  woman  that  the  Pope  wants 
to  conquer  the  world,  it  is  supremely  important 
that  he  should  enslave  and  degrade  her  by  keeping 
her  at  his  feet  as  his  footstool,  that  she  may  become 
a passive  instrument  for  the  accomplishment  of  his 
vast  and  profound  scheme. 

In  order  pei’fectly  to  master  women  in  the  higher 
circles  of  society,  every  confessor  is  ordered  by  the 
Pope  to  learn  the  most  complicated  and  perfect 
strategy.  He  has  to  study  a great  number  of 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  99 

treatises  on  the  art  of  persuading  the  fair  sex  to 
confess  to  him  plainly,  clearly,  and  in  detail,  every 
thought,  every  secret  desire,  word,  and  deed,  jus^ 
as  they  occurred. 

And  that  art  is  considered  so  important  and  so 
difficult  that  all  the  theologians  of  Rome  call  it 
“ the  art  of  arts.” 

Dens,  St.  Liguori,  Chevassu,  the  author  of  the 
‘‘Mirror  of  the  Clergy,”  Debreyne,  and  a multi- 
tude of  authors  too  numerous  to  mention,  have 
given  the  curious  and  scientific  rules  of  that  secret 
art. 

They  all  agree  in  declaring  that  it  is  a most  diffi- 
cult and  dangerous  art ; they  all  confess  that  the 
least  error  of  judgment,  the  least  imprudence  or 
temerity,  when  storming  the  impregnable  citadel, 
is  certain  death  (spiritual,  of  course)  to  the  confess 
sor  and  the  penitent. 

The  confessor  is  taught  to  make  the  first  steps 
towards  the  citadel  with  the  utmost  caution,  in 
order  that  his  female  penitent  may  not  suspect  at 
first,  what  he  wants  her  to  reveal ; for  that  would 
generally  induce  her  to  shut  for  ever  the  door  of 
the  fortress  against  him.  After  the  first  steps  of 
advance,  he  is  advised  to  make  several  steps  back, 
and  to  put  himself  in  a kind  of  spiritual  ambus- 
cade, to  see  the  effect  of  his  first  advance.  If  there 


100  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

is  any  prospect  of  success,  then  the  word  ‘‘March 
on!”  is  given,  and  a more  advanced  post  of  the 
citadel  must  be  tried  and  stormed,  if  possible.  In 
that  way,  little  by  little,  the  whole  place  is  so  well 
surrounded,  so  well  crippled,  denuded  and  dis- 
mantled, that  any  more  resistance  seems  impossible 
on  the  part  of  the  rebellious  soul. 

Then,  the  last  charge  is  ordered,  the  final  assault 
is  made;  and  if  God  does  not  perform  a real 
miracle  to  save  that  soul,  the  last  walls  crumble, 
the  doors  are  beaten  down;  then  the  confessor 
makes  a triumphant  entry  into  the  place;  the  verj 
heart,  soul,  conscience,  and  intelligence  are  con 
quered. 

When  once  master  of  the  place,  the  priest  visits 
all  its  most  secret  recesses  and  corners ; he  pries 
into  its  most  sacred  chambers.  The  conquered 
place  is  entirely  and  absolutely  in  his  hands ; he  is 
the  supreme  master;  for  the  surrender  has  been 
unconditional.  The  confessor  has  become  the  only 
infallible  ruler  in  the  conquered  place — nay,  he  has 
become  its  only  God — for  it  is  in  the  name  of  God 
he  has  besieged,  stormed  and  conquered  it;  it  is  in 
the  name  of  God  that,  hereafter,  he  will  speak  and 
be  obeyed. 

No  human  words  can  adequately  convey  an  idea 
of  the  irreparable  ruin  which  follows  the  successful 


THE  PKIE8T,  WOMA^  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  101 

storming  and  unconditional  surrender  of  that,  once, 
noble  fortress.  The  longer  and  stronger  the  resis- 
tance has  been,  the  more  terrible  and  complete  is 
the  destruction  of  its  beauty  and  strength;  the 
nobler  the  struggle  has  been,  the  more  irretrievable 
are  the  ruin  and  loss.  Just  as  the  higher  and 
stronger  the  dam  is  built  to  stem  the  current  of  the 
rapid  and  deep  waters  of  the  river,  the  more  awful 
will  be  the  disasters  which  follows  its  destruction ; 
so  it  is  with  that  noble  soul.  A mighty  dam  has 
been  built  by  the  very  hand  of  God,  called  self- 
respect  and  womanly-modesty,  to  guard  her  against 
the  pollutions  of  this  sinful  world ; but  the  day  that 
the  priest  of  Rome  succeeds,  after  long  efforts,  in 
destroying  it,  the  soul  is  carried  by  an  irresistible 
power  into  unfathomable  abysses  of  iniquity.  Then 
it  is  that  the  once  respected  lady  will  consent  to 
hear,  without  a blush,  things  against  which  the 
most  degraded  woman  would  indignantly  shut  her 
ears.  Then  it  is  that  she  freely  speaks  with  her 
confessor  on  matters,  for  reprinting  which  a printer 
in  England  has  lately  been  sent  to  jail. 

At  first,  in  spite  of  herself,  but  soon  with  a real 
sensual  pleasure,  that  fallen  angel,  when  alone, 
will  think  on  what  she  has  heard,  and  what  she  has 
said  in  the  confessional-box.  Then,  in  spite  of  her- 
self, the  vilest  thoughts  will,  at  first  irresistibly  fill 


102  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

her  mind;  and  soon  the  thoughts  will  engender 
temptations  and  sins.  But  those  vile  temptations 
and  sins,  which  would  have  filled  her  with  horror 
and  regret  before  her  entire  surrender  into  the 
hands  of  the  foe,  beget  very  different  sentiments, 
now  that  she  is  no  more  her  own  self-possessor  and 
guide.  The  conviction  of  her  sins  is  no  more  con- 
nected with  the  thought  of  a God,  infinitely  holy 
and  just,  whom  she  must  serve  and  fear.  The 
convictions  of  her  sins  is  now  immediately  con- 
nected with  the  thought  of  a man  with  whom  she 
will  have  to  speak,  and  who  will  easily  make  every- 
thing right  and  pure  in  her  soul  by  his  absolu- 
tion. 

When  the  day  for  going  to  confession  comes, 
instead  of  being  sad,  uneasy  and  bashful,  as  she 
used  to  be  formerly,  she  feels  pleased  and  delighted 
to  have  a new  opportunity  of  conversing  on  those 
matters  without  impropriety  and  sin  to  herself; 
for  she  is  now  fully  persuaded  that  there  is  no  im- 
propriety, no  shame,  no  sin  ; nay,  she  believes,  or 
tries  to  believe,  that  it  is  a good,  honest,  Christian, 
and  godly  thing  to  converse  with  her  priest  on  those 
matters. 

Her  most  happy  hours  are  when  she  is  at  the 
feet  of  that  spiritual  physician,  showing  him  all  the 
aewly-made  wounds  of  her  soul,  and  explaining  all 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  103 

her  constant  temptations,  her  bad  thoughts,  her 
most  intimate  secret  desires  and  sins. 

Then  it  is  that  the  most  sacred  mysteries  of  the 
married  life  are  revealed;  then  it  is  that  the  mys- 
terious and  precious  pearls  which  God  has  given  as 
a crown  of  mercy  to  those  whom  He  has  made  one 
body,  one  heart  and  soul,  by  the  blessed  ties  of  a 
Christian  union,  are  lavishly  thrown  before  swine. 

Whole  hours  are  passed  by  the  fair  penitent  in 
thus  speaking  to  her  Father  Confessor  with  the 
utmost  freedom,  on  matters  which  would  rank  her 
amongst  the  most  profligate  and  lost  women,  if  it 
were  only  suspected  by  her  friends  and  relatives. 
A single  word  of  those  intimate  conversations 
would  be  followed  by  an  act  of  divorce  on  the  part 
of  her  husband,  if  it  were  known  by  him. 

But  the  betrayed  husband  knows  nothing  of  the 
dark  mysteries  of  auricular  confession  ; the  duped 
father  suspects  nothing ; a cloud  from  hell  has 
obscured  the  intelligence  of  them  both,  and  made 
them  blind.  On  the  contrary,  — husbands  and 
fathers,  friends  and  relations,  feel  edified  and 
pleased  with  the  touching  spectacle  of  the  piety  of 

Madam  and  Miss . In  the  village,  as  well 

as  in  the  city,  every  one  has  a word  to  speak  in 

their  praise.  Mrs.  is  so  often  seen  humbly 

prostrated  at  the  feet,  or  by  the  side,  of  her  con- 


104:  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 


fessor ; Miss remains  so  long  in  the  confes- 

sional  box  ; they  receive  the  holy  communion  sa 
frequently ; they  both  speak  so  eloquently  and  so 
often  of  the  admirable  piety,  modesty,  holiness, 
patience,  charity,  of  their  incomparable  spiritual 
Father ! 

Every  one  congratulates  them  on  their  new  and 
exemplary  life,  and  they  accept  the  compliment 
with  the  utmost  humility,  attributing  their  rapid 
progress  in  Christian  virtues  to  the  holiness  of  their 
confessor.  He  is  such  a spiritual  man  ; who  could 
not  make  rapid  strides  under  such  a holy  guide  ? 

The  more  constant  the  temptations,  the  more 
the  secret  sins  overwhelm  the  soul,  and  the  more 
airs  of  peace  and  holiness  are  put  on.  The  more 
foul  the  secret  emanations  of  the  heart,  the  more 
the  fair  and  refined  penitent  surrounds  herself  by 
an  atmosphere  of  the  sweetest  perfumes  of  a sham 
piety.  The  more  polluted  the  inside  of  the  sepul- 
chre is,  the  more  shining  and  white  the  outside  will 
be  kept. 

Then  it  is  that,  unless  God  performs  a miracle  to 
prevent  it,  the  ruin  of  that  soul  is  sealed.  She  ha» 
drunk  in  the  poisonous  cup  filled  by  the  ‘‘mother 
of  harlots,”  she  has  found  the  wine  of  her  prosti- 
tution sweet ! She  will  henceforth  delight  in  her 
spiritual  and  secret  orgies. 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  105 


Her  holy  (?)  confessor  has  told  her  that  there  is 
no  impropriety,  no  shame,  no  sin,  in  that  cup. 
The  Pope  has  sacrilegiously  written  the  word 
“Life”  on  that  cup  of  “Death.”  She  has  be- 
lieved the  Pope  ; the  terrible  mystery  of  iniquity 
is  accomplished ! 

“The  mystery  of  iniquity  doth  already  work, 
whose  coming  is  after  the  working  of  Satan  with  all 
power  and  signs  and  lying  wonders,  and  with  all 
deceivableness  of  unrighteousness  in  them  that 
perish,  because  they  received  not  the  love  of  the 
truth  that  they  might  be  saved.  And  for  this  cause 
God  shall  send  them  strong  delusion,  that  they 
should  believe  a lie  ; that  they  all  might  be  damned 
who  believed  not  the  truth,  but  had  pleasure  in  un- 
righteousness. ” (2  Thess.  ii.  7-12.) 

Yes;  the  day  that  the  rich,  well-educated  lady 
gives  up  her  self-respect,  and  unconditionally  sur- 
renders the  citadel  of  womanly  modesty  into  the 
hands  of  a man,  whatever  be  his  name  or  titles, 
that  he  may  freely  put  to  her  questions  of  the  vilest 
character,  which  she  must  answer,  she  is  lost  and 
degraded,  just  as  if  she  were  the  humblest  and 
poorest  servant-girl. 

I purposely  say  “ the  rich  and  well-educated 
woman,”  for  I know  that  there  is  a prevalent  opin- 
ion that  the  social  position  of  her  class  places  her 


106  THE  PKIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

above  the  corrupting  influences  of  the  confessional, 
as  if  she  were  out  of  the  reach  of  the  common  mis- 
eries of  our  poor  fallen  and  sinful  nature. 

So  long  as  the  well-educated  lady  makes  use  ol 
her  accomplishments  to  defend  the  citadel  of  her 
womanly  self-respect  against  the  foe — so  long  as 
she  sternly  keeps  the  door  of  her  heart  shut  against 
her  deadly  enemy — she  is  safe. 

But  let  no  one  forget  this : she  is  safe  only  so 
long  as  she  does  not  surrender.  When  the  enemy 
is  once  master  of  the  place,  I emphatically  repeat, 
the  ruinous  consequences  are  as  great,  if  not  greater, 
and  more  irreparable  than  in  the  lowest  classes  of 
society.  Throw  a piece  of  precious  gold  into  the 
mud,  and  tell  me  if  it  will  not  plunge  deeper  than 
the  piece  of  rotten  wood. 

What  woman  could  be  nobler,  purer,  and  stronger 
than  Eve  when  she  came  from  the  hands  of  her 
Divine  Creator  ? But  how  quickly  she  fell  when 
she  gave  ear  to  the  seducing  voice  of  the  tempter ! 
How  irreparable  was  her  ruin  when  she  complac- 
ently looked  on  tlie  forbidden  fruit,  and  believed 
the  lying  voice  which  told  her  there  was  no  sin  ” 
in  eating  of  it ! 

I solemnly,  in  the  presence  of  the  great  God, 
who  ere  long,  will  judge  me,  give  my  testimony  on 
this  grave  subject.  After  25  years’  experience  in 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  K/7 

the  confessional,  I declare  that  the  coiifessoi  hiin- 
self  encounters  more  terrible  dangers  when  h^  ariiig 
the  confessions  of  refined  and  highly  educated 
ladies,  than  when  listening  to  those  of  the  humbler 
classes  of  his  female  penitents. 

I solemnly  testify  that  the  well-educated  lady, 
when  she  has  once  surrendered  herself  to  the  power 
of  her  confessor,  becomes  at  least  as  vulnerable  to 
the  arrows  of  the  enemy  as  the  poorer  and  less 
educated.  Nay,  I must  say  that,  once  on  the  down- 
hill road  of  perdition,  the  high-bred  lady  runs 
headlong  into  the  pit  with  a more  deplorable  rapid- 
ity than  her  humbler  sister. 

All  Canada  is  witness  that  a few  years  ago,  it 
was  among  the  highest  ranks  of  society  that  the 
Grand  Vicar  Superior  of  the  college  of  Montreal, 
was  choosing  his  victims,  when  the  public  cry  of 
indignation  and  shame  forced  the  Bishop  to  send 
him  back  to  Europe,  where  he,  soon  after,  died. 
Was  it  not  also  among  the  higher  classes  of  society 
that  a superior  of  the  Seminary  of  Quebec  was 
destroying  souls,  when  he  was  detected,  and  forced, 
during  a dark  night,  to  fly  and  conceal  himself 
behind  the  walls  of  the  Trappist  Monastery ‘of 
Iowa  ? 

Many  would  be  the  folio  volumes  which  I should 
have  to  write,  were  I to  publish  all  that  my  tw^«%ty- 


108  THE  PEIEST  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL 

five  years’  experience  in  the  confessional  has  taiigtit 
me  of  tlie  unspeakable  secret  corruption  of  the 
greatest  part  of  the  so-called  respectable  ladies,  who 
have  unconditionally  surrendered  themselves  into 
the  hands  of  their  holy  (?)  confessors.  But  the 
following  fact  will  suffice  for  those  who  have  eyes 
to  see,  ears  to  hear,  and  an  intelligence  to  unden 
stand : — 

In  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  thriving  towns 
along  the  St.  Lawrence  River,  lived  a rich  mer- 
chant. He  was  young,  and  his  marriage  with  a 
most  lovely,  rich,  and  accomplished  young  lady 
had  made  him  one  of  the  happiest  men  in  the  land. 

A few  years  after  his  marriage,  the  Bishop  ap- 
pointed to  that  town  a young  priest,  really  remark- 
able for  his  eloquence,  zeal,  and  amiable  qualities ; 
and  the  merchant  and  the  priest  soon  became  con- 
nected by  links  of  the  most  sincere  friendship. 

The  young,  accomplished  wife  of  the  merchant 
soon  became  the  model  woman  of  the  place  under 
the  direction  of  her  new  confessor. 

Many  and  long  were  the  hours  she  used  to  pass 
by  fJie  side  of  her  spiritual  father  to  be  purified 
and  enlightened  by  his  godly  advices.  She  soon 
wa^  seen  at  the  head  of  the  few  who  had  the  priv- 
ile(;%  of  receiving  the  holy  communion  once  a week, 
husband,  who  was  a good  Roman  Catholic 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  109 

himself,  blessed  God  and  the  Virgin  Mary,  that 
he  had  the  privilege  of  living  with  such  an  angel 
of  piety. 

Nobody  had  the  least  suspicion  of  what  was 
going  on  under  that  holy  and  white  mantle  of  the 
most  exalted  piety.  Nobody,  except  God  and  His 
angels,  could  hear  the  questions  put  by  the  priest 
to  his  fair  penitent,  and  the  answers  made  during 
the  long  hours  of  their  tete-a-tete  in  the  confession- 
al-box. Nobody  but  God  could  see  the  hellish 
fires  which  were  devouring  the  hearts  of  the  con- 
fessor and  his  victim!  For  nearly  one  year,  both 
the  young  priest  and  his  spiritual  patient  enjoyed, 
in  those  intimate  and  secret  conversations,  all  the 
pleasure  which  1 wers  feel  when  they  can  speak 
freely  to  each  other  of  their  secret  thoughts  and 
love. 

But  this  was  not  enough  for  them.  They  both 
wanted  something  more  real ; though  the  diffi' 
culties  were  great,  and  seemed  insurmountable. 
The  priest  had  his  mother  and  sister  with  him, 
whose  eyes  wore  too  sharp  to  allow  him  to  invite 
the  lady  to  his  own  house  for  any  criminal  object, 
and  the  young  husband  had  no  business,  at  a dis* 
tance,  which  could  keep  him  long  enough  out  oj' 
his  happy  home  to  allow  the  Pope's  confessed'  tc 
accomplish  his  diabolical  designs. 


110  THE  PRIEST,  WOMA^  AJND  CONI  EoSlONAL. 


But  when  a poor  fallen  daughter  of  Eve  has  3 
mind  to  do  a thing,  she  very  soon  finds  the  means^ 
particularly  if  high  education  has  added  to  he/ 
natural  shrewdness. 

And  in  this  case,  as  in  many  others  of  a similar 
nature  which  have  been  revealed  to  me,  she  soon 
found  out  how  to  attain  her  object  without  compro- 
mising herself  or  her  holy  (?)  confessor.  A plan 
was  soon  found  and  cordially  agreed  to  ; and  both 
patiently  awaited  their  opportunity. 

‘‘Why  have  you  not  gone  to  mass  to-day  and 
received  the  holy  communion,  my  dear?”  said  thft 
husband.  “ I had  ordered  the  servant-man  to  put 
the  horse  in  the  buggy  for  you,  as  usual.” 

“ I am  not  very  well,  my  beloved  ; I have  passed 
a sleepless  night  from  headache.” 

“ I will  send  for  the  physician,”  replied  the  hus- 
band. 

“Yes,  my  dear;  do  send  for  the  physician— 
perhaps  he  will  do  me  good.” 

One  hour  after  the  physician  called,  and  he  found 
his  fair  patient  a little  feverish,  pronounced  that 
there  was  nothing  serious,  and  that  she  would  soon 
be  well.  He  gave  her  a little  powder,  to  be  taken 
three  times  a day,  and  left;  but  at  9 P.  M.,  she 
complained  of  a great  pain  in  the  chest,  and  soon 
fainted  and  fell  on  the  fioor. 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  Ill 

The  doctor  was  again  immediately  sent  for,  but 
he  was  from  home ; it  took  nearly  half  an  hour 
before  he  could  come.  When  he  arrived  the  alarm- 
ing crisis  was  over — she  was  sitting  in  an  arm-chair, 
with  some  neighboring  women,  who  were  applying 
cold  water  and  vinegar  to  her  forehead. 

The  physician  was  really  at  a loss  what  to  say  of 
the  cause  of  such  a sudden  illness.  At  last,  he  said 
that  it  might  be  an  attack  of  ver  solitaire  ” (tape- 
worm). He  declared  that  it  was  not  dangerous ; 
that  he  knew  how  to  cure  her.  He  ordered  some 
new  powder  to  be  taken,  and  left,  after  having 
promised  to  return  the  next  day.  Half  an  hour 
after,  she  began  to  complain  of  a most  terrible  pain 
in  her  chest,  and  fainted  again ; but  before  doing 
so,  she  said  to  her  husband: — 

“Mj  dear,  you  see  that  the  physician  under- 
stands absolutely  nothing  of  the  nature  of  my  dis- 
ease. I have  not  the  least  confidence  in  him,  for 
I feel  that  his  powders  make  me  worse.  I do  not 
want  to  see  him  any  more.  I suffer  more  than  you 
suspect,  my  beloved ; and  if  there  is  not  soon  a 
change,  I may  be  dead  to-morrow.  The  only 
physician  I want  is  our  holy  confessor  ; please  make 
haste  to  go  and  get  him.  I want  to  make  a general 
confession,  and  to  receive  the  holy  viaticum  (com- 
munion) and  extreme  unction  before  I grow  worse.” 


112  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

Beside  himself  with  anxiety,  the  distracted  hus- 
band ordered  the  horse  to  be  put  in  the  buggy,  and 
made  his  servant  accompany  him  on  horseback, 
to  ring  the  bell,  while  his  pastor  carried  the  good 
god”  {Le  Bon  Dieu)  to  his  dear  sick  wife. 

He  found  the  priest  piously  reading  his  hreviar- 
turn  (his  book  of  daily  prayers),  and  admired  the 
charity  and  promptitude  with  which  his  good  pas- 
tor, in  that  dark  and  chilly  night,  was  ready  to 
leave  his  warm  and  comfortable  parsonage  at  the 
first  appeal  of  the  sick.  In  less  than  an  hour,  the 
husband  had  taken  the  priest  with  the  good  god ' 
from  the  church  to  the  bedroom  of  his  wife. 

All  along  the  way,  the  servant-man  had  rung  a 
big  hand-bell,  to  awaken  the  sleeping  farmers,  who, 
at  the  noise,  had  to  jump,  half  naked,  out  of  their 
beds,  and  worhip,  on  their  knees,  with  their  faces 
prostrate  in  the  dust,  the  good  god  ’’  which  was 
being  carried  to  the  sick  by  the  holy  (?)  priest. 

On  his  arrival,  the  confessor,  with  every  appear- 
ance of  sincere  piety,  deposited  ‘^the  good  god’’ 
{Le  Bon  Dieu)  on  a table  richly  prepared  for  such 
a solemn  occasion,  and,  approaching  the  bed, 
leaned  his  head  towards  his  penitent,  and  inquired 
how  she  felt. 

She  answered  him,  I am  very  sick,  and  I want 
to  make  a general  confession  before  1 die/’ 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  113 

Speaking  to  her  husband,  she  said,  with  a faint- 
ing voice,  ‘ ‘ Please,  iny  dear,  tell  my  friends  to 
withdraw  from  the  room,  that  I may  not  be  dis- 
tracted when  making  what  may  be  my  last  confes- 
sion.” 

The  husband  respectfully  requested  the  friends 
to  leave  the  room  with  him,  and  shut  the  door,  that 
the  holy  confessor  might  be  alone  with  his  penitent 
during  her  general  confession. 

One  of  the  most  diabolical  schemes,  under  the 
€Over  of  auricular  confession,  had  perfectly  suc- 
ceeded. The  mother  of  harlots,  the  great  enchan- 
tress of  souls,  whose  seat  is  on  the  city  of  the 

seven  hills,”  had,  there,  her  priest  to  bring 
shame,  disgrace,  and  damnation,  under  the  mask 
of  Christianity. 

The  destroyer  of  souls,  whose  masterpiece  is 
auricular  confession,  had,  there,  for  the  millionth 
time,  a fresh  opportunity  of  insulting  the  God  of 
))urity  through  one  of  the  most  criminal  actions 
which  the  dark  shades  of  night  can  conceal. 

But  let  us  draw  the  veil  over  the  abominations 
of  that  hour  of  iniquity,  and  let  us  leave  to  hell  its 
dark  secrets. 

After  he  had  accomplished  the  ruin  of  his  victim 
and  most  cruelly  and  sacrilegiously  abused  the  con- 
fidence of  his  friend,  the  young  priest  opened  the 


114  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

door  of  the  room  and  said,  with  a sanctimonious 
air,  “You  may  now  enter  to  pray  with  me,  while 
I give  the  last  sacrament  to  our  dear  sick  ^sister. 

They  came  in  : “ the  good  god  (Z^  Bon  Dieu) 
was  given  to  the  woman;  and  the  husband,  full  of 
gratitude  for  the  considerate  attention  of  his  priest, 
took  him  back  to  his  parsonage,  and  thanked  him 
most  sincerely  for  having  so  kindly  come  to  visit 
his  wife  in  so  chilly  a night. 

Ten  years  later  I was  called  to  preach  a retreat 
(a  kind  of  revival)  in  that  same  parish.  That  lady, 
then  an  absolute  stranger  to  me,  came  to  my  con- 
fessional-box and  confessed  to  me  those  details  as 
I now  give  them.  She  seemed  to  be  really  peni- 
tent, and  I gave  her  absolution  and  the  entire 
pardon  of  her  sins,  as  my  Church  told  me  to  do. 
On  the  last  day  of  the  revival,  the  merchant  in- 
vited me  to  a grand  dinner.  Then  it  was  that  I 
came  to  know  who  my  penitent  had  been.  I must 
not  forget  to  mention  that  she  had  confessed  to  me 
that,  of  her  four  children,  the  last  three  belonged 
to  her  confessor!  He  had  lost  his  mother,  and, 
his  sister  having  married,  his  parsonage  had  become 
more  accessible  to  his  fair  penitents,  many  of  whom 
had  availed  themselves  of  that  opportunity  to  prac- 
tice the  lessons  they  had  learned  in  the  confessional. 
The  priest  had  been  removed  to  a higher  position^ 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  115 

where  he,  more  than  ever,  enjoyed  the  confidence 
of  his  superiors,  the  respect  of  the  people,  and  the 
love  of  his  female  penitents. 

I never  felt  so  embarrassed  in  my  life  as  when  at 
the  table  of  that  so  cruelly  victimised  man.  We 
had  hardly  begun  to  take  our  dinner  when  he  asked 
me  if  I had  known  their  late  pastor,  the  amiable 
Rev.  Mr. . 

I answered,  Yes,  sir,  I know  him.” 

“ Is  he  not  a most  accomplished  priest?” 

Yes,  sir,  he  is  a most  accomplished  man,”  I 
answered. 

Why  is  it,”  rejoined  the  good  merchant,  that 
the  Bishop  has  taken  him  away  from  us  ? He  was 
doing  so  well  here  ; he  had  so  deservedly  earned 
the  confidence  of  all  by  his  piety  and  gentlemanly 
manners  that  we  made  every  effort  to  keep  him 
with  us.  I drew  up  a petition  myself,  which  all 
the  people  signed,  to  induce  the  Bishop  to  allow' 
him  to  remain  in  our  midst ; but  in  vain.  His 
lordship  answered  us  that  he  wanted  him  for  a more 
important  place,  on  account  of  his  rare  ability,  and 
we  had  to  submit.  His  zeal  and  devotedness  knew 
no  bounds ; in  the  darkest  and  most  stormy  nights 
he  was  always  ready  to  come  to  the  first  call  of  tlio 
sick ; I shall  never  forget  how  quickly  and  cheer- 
fully he  responded  to  my  appeal  when,  a few  years 


116  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

ago,  I went,  on  one  of  our  most  chilly  nights,  to  re- 
quest him  to  visit  my  wife,  who  was  very  sick.” 

At  this  stage  of  the  conversation,  I must  confess 
that  I nearly  laughed  outright.  The  gratitude  of 
that  poor  dupe  of  the  confessional  to  the  priest 
who  had  come  to  bring  shame  and  destruction  to 
his  house,  and  the  idea  of  that  very  man  going 
himself  to  convey  to  his  home  the  corruptor  of  his 
own  wife,  seemed  to  me  so  ludicrous  that  for  a 
moment,  I had  to  make  a superhuman  effort  to 
control  myself. 

But  I was  soon  brought  to  my  better  senses  by 
the  shame  which  I felt  at  the  idea  of  the  unspeak- 
able degradation  and  secret  infamy  of  the  clergy  of 
which  I was  a member.  At  that  instant,  hundreds 
of  instances  of  similar,  if  not  greater,  depravity, 
which  had  been  revealed  to  me  through  the  con- 
fessional, came  to  my  mind,  and  distressed  and  dis- 
gusted me  so  that  my  tongue  was  almost  paralysed. 

After  dinner,  the  merchant ‘asked  his  lady  to  call 
the  children  that  I might  see  them,  and  I could 
not  but  admire  their  beauty.  But  I do  not  need  to 
say  that  the  pleasure  of  seeing  these  dear  and  lovely 
little  ones  was  much  marred  by  the  secret,  though 
sure,  knowledge  I had,  that  the  three  youngest 
were  the  fruits  of  the  unspeakable  depravity  of 
auricular  confession  in  the  higher  ranks  of  society. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

AURICULAR  CONFESSION  DESTROYS  ALL  THE  SACRED 
TIES  OF  MARRIAGE  AND  HUMAN  SOCIETY. 

WOULD  the  banker  allow  his  priest  to  open, 
when  alone,  the  safe  of  his  bank,  manipulate 
and  examine  his  papers,  and  pry  into  the  most  se- 
cret details  of  his  banking  business  ? 

No  ! surely  not. 

How  is  it  then,  that  the  same  banker  allows  that 
priest  to  open  the  heart  of  his  wife,  manipulate  her 
soul,  and  pry  into  the  sacred  chambers  of  her  most 
intimate  and  secret  thoughts? 

Are  not  the  heart,  the  soul,  the  purity,  and  the 
self-respect  of  his  wife  as  great  and  precious  treas- 
ures as  the  safe  of  his  bank ! Are  not  the  risks 
and  dangers  of  temptations,  imprudences,  indis- 
cretions, much  greater  and  more  irreparable  in  the 
second,  than  in  the  first  case  ? 

Would  the  jeweler  or  goldsmith  allow  his  priest 
to  come,  when  he  pleases,  and  handle  the  rich 
articles  of  his  stores,  ransack  the  desk  wliere 


118  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

the  money  is  deposited,  and  play  with  it  as  he 
pleases  ? 

No ! surely  not. 

But  are  not  the  heart,  the  soul,  and  the  purity  of 
his  dear  wife  and  daughter  a thousandfold  more 
valuable  than  his  precious  stones,  or  silver  and 
gold  wares?  Are  not  the  dangers  of  temptation 
and  indiscretions,  on  the  part  of  the  priest,  more 
formidable  and  irresistible  in  the  second,  than  in 
the  first  of  these  cases  ? 

Would  the  livery  man  allow  his  priest  to  take 
his  most  valuable  and  unmanageable  horses,  when 
he  wishes,  and  drive  alone,  without  any  other  con- 
sideration and  security  than  the  discretion  of  his 
priest  ? 

No ! surely  not. 

That  livery  man  knows  that  he  would  soon  be 
ruined  if  he  were  to  do  so.  Whatever  may  be  his 
confidence  in  the  discretion,  honesty,  and  prudence 
of  his  priest,  he  will  never  push  his  confidence  so 
far  as  to  give  him  the  unreserved  control  of  the 
noble  and  fiery  animals  which  are  the  glory  of  his 
stables  and  the  support  of  his  family. 

How  then,  can  the  same  man  trust  the  entire, 
absolute  management  of  his  wife  and  dear  daugh- 
ters to  the  control  of  that  one,  to  whom  he  would 
ot  entrust  his  horses  ? 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

Are  not  his  wife  and  daughters  as  precious  to 
him  as  those  horses  ? Is  there  not  greater  danger 
of  indiscretions,  inisiiiauagement,  irreparable  and 
fatal  errors  on  the  part  of  the  priest,  dealing  alone 
with  his  wife  and  daughters,  than  when  driving 
horses  ? No  human  act  of  folly,  moral  depravity, 
and  want  of  common  sense  can  equal  the  permis- 
sion given  by  a man  to  his  wife  to  go  and  confess 
to  the  priest. 

That  day,  he  abdicates  the  loyal — I had  almost 
said  divine — dignity  of  husband;  for  it  is  from 
God  that  he  holds  it ; his  c'^own  is  forever  lost, 
his  sceptre  broken  ! 

What  would  you  do  to  any  one  mean  enough  to 
peep  or  listen  through  the  key-hole  of  your  door  in 
order  to  hear  or  see  anything  that  was  said  or  done 
within?  Would  you  show  so  little  self-respect  as 
to  tolerate  such  indiscretion?  Would  you  not 
rather  take  a whip  or  a cane,  and  drive  away  the 
villain?  Would  you  not  even  expose  your  life  to 
free  yourself  from  his  impudent  curiosity  ? 

But  what  is  the  confessional  if  not  the  key-hole 
of  your  house  and  of  your  very  chamber,  through 
which  the  priest  can  hear  and  see  your  most  secret 
words  and  actions ; nay,  more,  know  your  most 
intimate  thoughts  and  aspirations. 

Are  you  worthy  of  the  name  of  men  when  you 


120  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

submit  yourselves  to  such  sly  and  insulting  inquisi- 
tion ? Do  you  deserve  the  name  of  men,  who  com 
sent  to  put  up  with  such  ignoble  affront  and  humil- 
iation ? 

‘‘The  husband  is  the  head  of  the  wife  even  as 
Christ  is  the  Head  of  the  Church.”  “ Therefore, 
as  the  Church  is  subject  unto  Christ,  so  let  the 
wives  be  to  their  own  husbands  in  everything  ” — 
(Eph.  v).  If  these  solemn  words  are  the  true 
oracles  of  divine  wisdom,  is  not  the  husband  di- 
vinely appointed  the  only  adviser,  counsellor,  help 
of  his  wife,  just  as  Christ  is  the  only  adviser,  coun- 
sellor, and  help  of  His  Church  ? 

If  the  Apostle  was  not  an  impostor  when  he  said 
that  the  wife  is  to  her  husband  what  the  body  is  to 
the  head,  and  that  the  husband  is  to  his  wife  what 
the  head  is  to  the  body — is  not  the  husband  ap- 
pointed by  God  to  be  the  light,  the  guide,  of  his 
wife  ? Is  it  not  his  duty,  as  well  as  his  privilege 
and  glory,  to  console  her  in  her  afflictions,  strength- 
en her  in  her  hours  of  weakness,  keep  her  up  when 
she  is  in  danger  of  fainting,  and  encourage  her 
when  she  is  on  the  rough  and  uphill  ways  of  life  ! 

If  Christ  has  not  come  to  deceive  the  world 
through  his  Apostle,  must  not  the  wife  go  to  her 
husband  for  advice  ? Ought  she  not  to  expect  from 
him,  and  him  alone,  after  God,  the  light  she  wanta 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  121 

and  the  consolation  she  is  in  need  ot  ? Is  it  not  to 
her  husband,  and  to  him  alone,  after  God,  she 
ought  to  look  to  in  her  days  of  trial  for  help  ? Is 
it  not  under  his  leadership  alone  she  must  fight  the 
battle  of  life  and  conquer  ? Is  not  this  mutual  and 
daily  sharing  of  the  anzieties  of  life,  this  constant 
shouldering  on  the  battle-field,  and  this  reciprocal 
and  mutual  protection  and  help  renewed  at  every 
hour  of  the  day,  which  form,  under  the  eyes  and 
by  the  mercy  of  God,  the  holiest  and  the  purest 
charms  of  the  married  life  ? Is  it  not  that  unre- 
served confidence  in  each  other  which  binds  togeth- 
er those  golden  links  of  Christian  love  that  make 
them  happy  in  the  very  midst  of  the  trials  of  life  ? 
Is  it  not  through  this  mutual  confidence  alone  that 
they  are  one  as  God  wants  them  to  be  one  f Is  it 
not  in  this  unity  of  thoughts,  fears  and  hopes,  joys 
and  love,  which  come  from  God,  that  they  can 
cheerfully  cross  the  thorny  valley,  and  safely  reach 
the  Promised  land  ? 

The  Gospel  says  that  the  husband  is  to  his  wife 
what  Christ  is  to  His  Church ! Is  it  not,  then,  a 
most  sacrilegious  iniquity  for  a wife  to  look  to 
another  rather  than  to  her  own  husband  for  such 
advice,  wisdom,  strength,  and  life,  as  he  is  entitled, 
qualified,  and  ready  to  afford  ? As  no  other  man 
has  the  right  to  her  love,  so  no  other  man  has  any 


122  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 
i 

/ right  to  her  absolute  confidence.  As  she  becomes 
an  adulteress  the  day  that  she  gives  her  body  to 
another  man,  is  she  any  the  less  an  adulteress  the 
rday  that  she  gives  her  confidence  and  trusts  her 
I soul  to  a stranger?  The  adultery  of  the  heart  and 
-•  soul  is  not  less  criminal  than  the  adultery  of  the 
oody  ; and  every  time  the  wife  goes  to  the  feet  of 
the  priest  to  confess,  does  she  not  become  guilty 
of  that  iniquity  ? 

In  the  Church  of  Rome,  through  the  confeS' 
sional,  the  priest  is  much  more  the  husband  of  the 
wife  than  the  man  to  whom  she  was  wedded  at  the 
foot  of  the  altar.  The  priest  has  the  best  part  of 
the  wife.  He  has  the  marrow,  wlien  the  hnsband 
has  the  bones.  He  has  the  juice  of  the  orange, 
the  husband  has  the  rind.  He  has  the  soul  and 
the  heart,  the  husband  has  the  skeleton.  He  has 
the  honey,  the  husband  has  the  wax  cell.  He  has 
the  succulent  oyster,  the  husband  has  the  dry  shell. 
As  much  as  the  soul  is  higher  than  the  body,  so 
much  are  the  power  and  privileges  of  the  priest 
higher  than  the  power  and  privileges  of  the  hus- 
band in  the  mind  of  the  penitent  wife.  As  the 
husband  is  the  lord  of  the  body  which  he  feeds,  so 
the  priest  is  the  lord  of  the  soul  and  the  heart, 
which  he  also  feeds.  The  wife,  then,  has  two  lords 
and  masters,  whom  she  must  love,  respect  and 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  123 

obey.  Will  she  not  give  the  best  part  of  her  love, 
respect,  and  submission  to  the  one  who,  in  her 
mind,  is  as  much  above  the  other  as  the  heavens 
are  above  the  earth  ? But  as  she  cannot  serve  two 
masters  together,  will  not  the  master  who  prepares 
and  fits  her  for  an  eternal  life  of  glory,  certainly  be 
the  object  of  her  constant,  real,  and  most  ardent 
love,  gratitude,  and  respect,  when  the  worldly  and 
sinful  man  to  whom  she  is  married,  will  have  only 
the  appearance  and  the  crumbs  of  those  senti- 
ments ? Will  she  not  naturally,  instinctively  serve, 
love,  respect,  and  obey,  as  lord  and  master,  the 
godly  man,  whose  yoke  is  so  light,  so  holy,  so  di- 
vine, rather  than  the  carnal  man,  whose  human 
imperfections  are  to  her  a source  of  daily  trial  and 
sufiering  ? 

In  the  Church  of  Borne,  the  thoughts  and  de- 
sires, the  secret  joys  and  fears  of  the  soul,  the  very 
life  of  the  wife,  are  sealed  things  to  the  husband. 
He  has  no  right  to  look  into  the  sanctuary  of  her 
heart ; he  has  no  remedy  to  apply  to  the  soul ; he 
has  no  mission  from  God  to  advise  her  in  the  dark 
hours  of  her  anxieties  ; he  has  no  balm  to  apply  to 
the  bleeding  wounds,  so  often  received  in  the  daily 
battles  of  life  ; he  must  remain  a perfect  stranger 
in  his  own  house. 

The  wife,  exnecting  nothing  from  her  husband. 


124  THE  PKIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

has  no  revelation  to  make  to  him,  no  favor  to  ask, 
no  debt  of  gratitude  to  pay.  Nay,  she  shuts  all 
the  avenues  of  her  soul,  all  the  doors  and  windows 
of  her  heart,  against  her  husband.  The  priest, 
and  the  priest  alone,  has  a right  to  her  entire  con- 
fidence ; to  him,  and  him  alone,  she  will  go  and 
reveal  all  her  secrets,  show  all  her  wounds  ; to  him, 
and  him  alone,  she  will  turn  her  mind,  her  heart 
and  soul,  in  the  hour  of  trouble  and  anxiety  ; from 
him,  and  him,  alone,  she  will  ask  and  expect  the 
light  and  consolation  she  wants.  Every  day,  more 
and  more,  her  husband  will  become  a stranger  to 
her,  if  he  does  not  become  a real  nuisance,  and  an 
obstacle  to  her  happiness  and  peace. 

Yes,  through  the  confessional,  an  unfathomable 
abyss  has  been  dug  by  the  Church  of  Rome,  be- 
tween the  heart  of  the  wife  and  the  heart  of  the 
husband.  Their  bodies  may  be  very  near  each 
other,  but  their  souls,  their  real  affections  and  their 
confidence  are  at  greater  distance  than  the  north 
is  from  the  south  pole  of  the  earth.  The  confessoif 
is  the  master,  the  ruler,  the  king  of  the  soul ; the 
husband,  as  the  graveyard-keeper,  must  be  satisfied 
with  the  carcass  ! 

The  husband  has  the  permission  to  look  on  the 
outside  of  the  palace  ; he  is  allowed  to  rest  his  head 
on  the  cold  marble  of  the  outdoor  steps ; but  the 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  125 

confessor  triumphantly  walks  into  the  mysterious 
sitarry  rooms,  examines  at  leisure  their  numberless 
and  unspeakable  wonders  ; and,  alone,  he  is  allowed 
to  rest  his  head  on  the  soft  pillows  of  the  un- 
bounded confidence,  respect,  and  love  of  the  wife. 

In  the  Church  of  Rome,  if  the  husband  ask  a 
favor  from  his  wife,  nine  times  in  ten  she  will  in- 
quire from  her  father  confessor  whether  or  not  she 
can  grant  him  his  request ; and  the  poor  husband 
will  have  to  wait  patiently  for  the  permission  of  the 
master,  or  the  rebuke  of  the  lord,  according  to  the 
answer  of  the  oracle  which  had  to  be  consulted! 
If  he  gets  impatient  under  the  yoke,  and  murmurs, 
the  wife  will,  soon,  go  to  the  feet  of  her  confessor, 
to  tell  him  how  she  has  the  misfortune  to  be  united 
to  a most  unreasonable  man,  and  how  she  has  to 
suffer  from  him  ! She  reveals  to  her  ‘ ‘ dear  father  ’ ’ 
how  she  is  unhappy  under  such  a yoke,  and  how 
her  life  would  be  an  insupportable  burden,  had  she 
not  the  privilege  and  happiness  of  coming  often  to 
his  feet,  to  lay  down  her  sorrows,  hear  his  sympa- 
thetic words,  and  get  his  so  affectionate  and  pater- 
nal advice  ! She  tells  him,  with  tears  of  gratitude, 
that  it  is  only  when  by  his  side,  and  at  his  feet, 
she  finds  rest  to  her  weary  soul,  balm  to  her  bleed- 
ing heart,  and  peace  to  her  troubled  conscience. 

Wlien  she  comes  from  the  confessional,  her  ears 


126  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

are  long  filled  as  with  a heavenly  music  : the  horn 
ied  words  of  her  confessor  ring  for  many  days  in 
her  heart : she  feels  it  lonesome  to  be  separated 
from  him  : his  image  is  constantly  before  her  mind,, 
and  the  souvenir  of  his  amiabilities  is  one  of  hei 
most  pleasant  thoughts.  There  is  nothing  which 
she  likes  so  much  as  to  speak  of  his  good  qualities, 
his  patience,  his  piety,  his  charity ; she  longs  for 
the  day  when  she  will  again  go  to  confess  and  pass 
a few  hours  by  the  side  of  that  angelic  man,  in 
opening  to  him  all  the  secrets  of  her  heart,  and  in 
revealing  all  her  ennuis.  She  tells  him  how  she 
regrets  that  she  cannot  come  oftener  to  see  him, 
and  receive  the  benefits  of  his  charitable  counsels  ; 
she  does  not  even  conceal  from  him  how  often,  in 
her  dreams,  she  feels  too  happy  to  be  with  him  ! 
More  and  more  every  day  the  gap  between  her  and 
her  husband  widens.  More  and  more  each  day  she 
regrets  that  she  has  not  the  happiness  to  be  the 
wife  of  such  a holy  man  as  her  confessor  ! Oh  ! if 

it  were  possible ! But  then,  she  blushes  or 

smiles,  and  sings  a song. 

Then  again,  I ask.  Who  is  the  true  lord,  ruler,, 
and  master  in  that  house?  For  whom  does  that 
heart  beat  and  live  ? 

Thus  it  is  that  that  stupendous  imposture,  the 
dogma  of  auricular  confession,  does  completely 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  127 

destroy  all  the  links,  the  joys,  the  responsibilities, 
and  divine  privileges  of  the  married  life,  and  trans- 
forms it  into  a life  of  perpetual,  though  disguised, 
adultery.  It  becomes  utterly  impossible,  in  the 
Church  of  Rome,  that  the  husband  should  be  one 
with  his  wife,  and  that  the  wife  should  be  one  with 
her  husband  : a ‘^monstrous  being”  has  been  put 
between  them  both,  called  the  confessor.  Born  in 
the  darkest  ages  of  the  world,  that  being  has  received 
from  hell  his  mission  to  destroy  and  contaminate  the 
purest  joys  of  the  married  life,  to  enslave  the  wife, 
to  outrage  the  husband,  and  to  damn  the  world ! 

The  more  auricular  confession  is  practiced,  the 
more  the  laws  of  public  and  private  morality  are 
trampled  under  foot.  The  husband  wants  his  wife 
to  be  his — he  does  not,  and  could  not,  consent  to 
share  his  authority  over  her  with  anybody : he 
wants  to  be  the  only  man  who  will  have  her  confi- 
dence and  her  heart,  as  well  as  her  respect  and  love. 
And  so,  the  very  moment  that  he  anticipates  the 
dark  shadow  of  the  confessor  coming  between  him 
and  the  woman  of  his  choice,  he  prefers  to  shrink 
from  entering  into  the  sacred  bond  ; the  holy  joys 
of  home  and  family  lose  their  divine  attractions  ; 
he  prefers  the  cold  life  of  an  ignominious  celibacy 
to  the  humiliation  and  opprobium  of  the  question- 
able privileges  of  an  uncertain  paternity. 


128  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

France,  Spain,  and  many  other  Roman  Catholic 
countries,  thus  witness  the  multitude  of  those  bach- 
elors increasing  every  year.  The  number  of  fam- 
ilies and  births,  in  consequence,  is  fast  decreasing 
in  their  midst ; and,  if  God  does  not  perform  a 
miracle  to  stop  these  nations  in  their  downward 
course,  it  is  easy  to  calculate  the  day  when  they  will 
owe  their  existence  to  the  tolerance  and  pity  of  the 
mighty  Protestant  nations  which  surround  them. 

Why  is  it  that  the  Irish  Roman  Catholic  people 
are  so  irreparably  degraded  and  clothed  in  rags  ? 
Why  is  it  that  that  people,  whom  God  has  endowed 
with  so  many  noble  qualities,  seem  to  be  so  de- 
prived of  intelligence  and  self-respect  that  they 
glory  in  their  own  shame  ? Why  is  it  that  their 
land  has  been  for  centuries  the  land  of  bloody  riots 
and  cowardly  murders  ? The  principal  cause  is  the 
enslaving  of  the  Irish  women,  by  means  of  the 
confessional.  Every  one  knows  that  the  spiritual 
slavery  and  degradation  of  the  Irish  woman  has  no 
bounds.  After  she  has  been  enslaved  and  degraded, 
she,  in  turn,  has  enslaved  and  degraded  her  hus- 
band and  her  sons.  Ireland  will  be  an  object  of 
pity ; she  will  be  poor,  miserable,  riotous,  blood- 
thirsty, degraded,  so  long  as  she  rejects  Christ,  to 
be  ruled  by  the  father  confessor,  planted  in  every 
parish  by  the  Pope. 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  ^Nr^ESSIONAL  X29 

Who  has  not  been  amazed  and  saddened  by  the 
ilownfall  of  France  ? How  is  it  that  her  once  so 
mighty  armies  have  melted  away,  that  her  brave 
sons  have  so  easily  been  conquered  and  disarmed  ? 
How  is  it  that  France,  fallen  powerless  at  the  feet 
of  her  enemies,  has  frightened  the  woydd  by  the 
spectacle  of  the  incredible,  bloody,  and  savage  fol- 
lies of  the  Commune  ? Do  not  look  for  the  causes 
of  the  downfall,  humiliation,  and  untold  miseries  of 
France  anywhere  else  than  in  the  confessional. 
For  centuries  has  not  that  great  country  obstinately 
rejected  Christ  ? Has  she  not  slaughtered  or  sent 
into  exile  her  noblest  children,  who  wanted  to 
follow  the  Gospel  ? Has  she  not  given  her  fair 
daughters  into  the  hands  of  the  confessors,  who 
have  defiled  and  degraded  them  ? How  could 
woman,  in  France,  teach  her  husband  and  sons  to 
love  liberty,  and  die  for  it,  when  she  was  herself  a 
miserable,  an  abject  slave  ? How  could  she  form 
her  husband  and  sons  to  the  manly  virtues  of 
heroes,  when  her  own  mind  was  defiled  and  her 
heart  corrupted  by  the  priest  ? 

The  French  woman  had  unconditionally  surren- 
dered the  noble  and  fair  citadel  of  her  heart,  intel- 
ligence, and  womanly  self-respect  into  the  hands  of 
her  confessor  long  before  her  sons  surrendered 
^heir  swords  to  the  Germans  at  Sedan  and  Paris. 


130  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

The  first  unconditional  surrender  had  brought  the 
second. 

The  complete  moral  destruction  of  woman  by  the 
confessor  in  France  has  been  a long  work.  It  hat 
required  centuries  to  bow  down,  break,  and  em 
slave  the  noble  daughters  of  France.  Yes  ; but 
those  who  know  France,  know  that  that  destruction 
is  now  as  complete  as  it  is  deplorable.  The  down- 
fall of  woman  in  France,  and  her  supreme  degrada- 
tion through  the  confessional,  is  now  un  fait 
acijompli^  which  nobody  can  deny ; the  highest 
intellects  have  seen  and  confessed  it.  One  of  the 
must  profound  thinkers  of  that  unfortunate  country, 
Michelet,  has  depicted  that  supreme  and  irretriev- 
able degradation  in  a most  eloquent  book,  ^^The 
Priest,  The  Woman,  The  Family  and  not  a voice 
has  been  raised  to  deny  or  refute  what  he  has  said. 
Those  who  have  any  knowledge  of  history  and 
philosophy  know  very  well  that  the  moral  degrada- 
tion of  the  woman  is  soon  followed  everywhere  by 
the  moral  degradation  of  the  nation,  and  the  moral 
degradation  of  the  nation  is  very  soon  followed  by 
ruin  and  overthrow. 

The  French  nation  had  been  formed  by  God  U 
ie  a race  of  giants.  They  were  chivalrous  ail(; 
Wave ; they  had  bright  intelligences,  stout  hearts, 
strong  arms  and  a mighty  sword.  But  as  the  hard 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  131 

est  granite  rock  yields  and  breaks  under  the  drop 
of  water  which  incessantly  falls  upon  it,  so  that 
great  nation  had  to  break  and  to  fall  into  pieces 
under,  not  the  drop,  but  the  rivers  of  impure  waters 
which,  for  centuries,  have  incessantly  flowed  in 
upon  it  from  the  pestilential  fountain  of  the  confes- 
sional. Righteousness  exalteth  a nation,  but  sin 
\8  a reproach  to  any  people.”  (Proverbs  xiv.) 

In  the  sudden  changes  and  revolutions  of  these 
latter  days,  France  is  also  sharing  ; and  the  Church 
of  Rome  has  received  a blow  there,  which,  though 
perhaps  only  temporary  in  its  character,  will  help 
to  awaken  the  people  to  the  corruption  and  fraud 
of  the  priesthood. 

Why  is  it  that  Spain  is  so  miserable,  so  weak,  so 
poor,  so  foolishly  and  cruelly  tearing  her  own 
bosom,  and  reddening  her  fair  valleys  with  the 
blood  of  her  own  children  ? The  principal,  if  not 
the  only,  cause  of  the  downfall  of  that  great  nation 
is  the  confessional.  There,  also,  the  confessor  has 
defiled,  degraded,  enslaved  women,  and  women  in 
turn  have  defiled  and  degraded  their  husbands  and 
sons.  Women  have  sown  broadcast  over  their 
country  the  seeds  of  that  slavery,  of  that  want  of 
Christian  honesty,  justice,  and  self-respect  with 
which  they  had  themselves  been  first  imbued  in  the 
confessional. 


132  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

But  when  you  see,  without  a single  exception, 
the  nations  whose  women  drink  the  impure  and 
poisonous  waters,  which  flow  from  the  confessional, 
sinking  down  so  rapidly,  do  you  not  wonder  how 
fast  the  neighboring  nations,  who  have  destroyed 
those  dens  of  impurity,  prostitution,  and  abject 
slavery,  are  rising  up  ? What  a marvellous  con- 
trast is  before  our  eyes  ? On  one  side,  the  nations 
who  allow  the  women  to  be  degraded  and  enslaved 
at  the  feet  of  her  confessor — France,  Spain,  Romish 
Ireland,  Mexico,  &c.,  &c. — are,  there,  fallen  into 
the  dust,  bleeding,  struggling,  powerless,  like  the 
sparrow  whose  entrails  are  devoured  by  the  vulture. 

On  the  other  side,  see  how  the,  nations  whose 
women  go  to  wash  their  robes  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb,  are  soaring  up,  as  on  eagle  wings,  in  the 
highest  regions  of  progress,  peace,  and  liberty ! 

If  legislators  could  once  understand  tlie  respect 
and  protection  they  owe  to  women,  they  would 
soon,  by  stringent  laws,  prohibit  auricular  confes- 
sion as  contrary  to  good  morals  and  the  welfare  of 
society ; for,  though  the  advocates  of  auricular  con- 
fession have  succeeded,  to  a certain  extent,  in 
blinding  the  public,  and  in  concealing  the  abomi- 
nations of  the  system  under  a lying  mantle  of  holi- 
ness and  religion,  it  is  nothing  else  than  a school 
of  impurity. 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  133 

I say  more  than  that.  After  twenty-five  years 
of  hearing  the  confessions  of  the  common  people 
and  of  the  highest  classes  of  society,  of  the  laymen 
and  the  priests,  of  the  grand  vicars  and  bishops 
and  the  nuns  ; I conscientiously  say  before  the 
world,  that  the  immorality  of  the  confessional  is  of 
a more  dangerous  and  degrading  nature  than  that 
which  we  attribute  to  the  social  evil  of  our  great 
cities.  The  injury  caused  to  the  intelligence  and 
to  the  soul  in  the  confessional,  as  a general  rule,  is 
of  a more  dangerous  nature  and  more  irremediable, 
because  it  is  neither  suspected  nor  understood  by 
its  victims. 

The  unfortunate  woman  who  lives  an  immoral 
life  knows  her  profound  misery  ; she  often  blushes 
and  weeps  over  her  degradation  ; she  hears,  from 
every  side,  voices  which  call  her  out  of  those  ways 
of  perdition.  Almost  at  every  hour  of  day  and 
night,  the  cry  of  her  conscience  warns  her  against 
the  desolation  and  suffering  of  an  eternity  passed 
far  away  from  the  regions  of  holiness,  light,  and 
life.  All  those  things  are  often  so  many  means  of 
grace,  in  the  hands  of  our  merciful  God,  to  awaken 
the  mind,  and  to  save  the  guilty  soul.  But  in  the 
jBonfessional  the  poison  is  administered  under  the 
name  of  a pure  and  refreshing  water  ; the  deadly 
blow  is  inflicted  by  a sword  so  well  oiled  that  the 


134  THE  PillEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

wound  is  not  felt ; the  vilest  and  most  impure 
notions  and  thoughts,  in  the  form  of  questions  and 
answers,  are  presented  and  accepted  as  the  bread 
of  life ! All  the  notions  of  modesty,  purity,  and 
womanly  self-respect  and  delicacy,  are  set  aside 
and  forgotten  to  propitiate  the  god  of  Kome.  In 
the  confessional  the  woman  is  told,  and  she  be- 
lieves,  that  there  is  no  sin  for  her  in  hearing  things 
which  would  make  the  vilest  blush — no  sin  to  say 
things  which  would  make  the  most  desperate  villain 
on  the  streets  of  London  to  stagger — no  sin  to  con- 
verse with  her  confessor  on  matters  so  filthy  that, 
if  attempted  in  civil  life,  would  forever  exclude  the 
perpetrator  from  the  society  of  the  virtuous. 

Yes,  the  soul  and  the  intelligence  defiled  and 
destroyed  in  the  confessional  are  often  hopelessly 
defiled  and  destroyed.  They  are  sinking  into  a 
complete,  an  irretrievable  perdition  ; for,  not  know- 
ing the  guilt,  they  will  not  cry  for  mercy — not  sus- 
pecting the  fatal  disease  that  is  being  fostered,  they 
will  not  call  for  the  true  Physician.  It  was,  evi- 
dently, when  thinking  of  the  unspeakable  ruin 
of  the  souls  of  men  through  the  wickedness  cul- 
minating in  the  Pope’s  confessors,  that  the  Son 
of  God  said:  — ‘‘If  the  blind  lead  the  blind, 
both  shall  fall  into  the  ditch.”  To  every  woman, 
with  very  few  exceptions,  coming  out  from  the  feet 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  135 

of  her  confessor,  the  cliildren  of  light  may  say  : — 
I know  thy  works,  that  tliou  hast  a name  that 
thou  livest, but  thou  art  dead — (Eevelations  hi.). 

Nobody  has  yet  been,  nor  ever  will  be  able  to 
answer  the  few  following  lines,  which  I addressed 
some  years  ago  to  the  Eev.  Mr.  Bruyere,  Roman 
Catholic  Vicar-General  of  London,  Canada  : — 
^‘With  a blush  on  my  face,  and  regret  in  my 
heart,  I confess,  before  God  and  man,  that  I have 
been  like  you,  and  with  you,  through  the  confes- 
sional, }3lunged  for  twenty-five  years  in  that  bot- 
tomless sea  of  iniquity,  in  wdiich  the  blind  priests 
of  Rome  have  to  swim  day  and  night. 

I had  to  learn  by  heart,  like  you,  the  infamous 
questions  which  the  Church  of  Rome  forces  every 
priest  to  learn.  I had  to  put  those  impure,  im- 
moral questions  to  old  and  young  females,  who 
were  confessing  their  sins  to  me.  These  questions 
— you  know  it — are  of  such  a nature  that  no  prosti- 
tute would  dare  to  put  them  to  another.  Those 
questions,  and  the  answers  they  elicit,  are  so  debas- 
ing that  no  man  in  London — you  know  it — except 
a priest  of  Rome,  is  sufficiently  lost  to  every  sense 
of  shame,  as  to  put  them  to  any  woman. 

Yes,  I was  bound,  in  conscience,  as  you  are 
bound  to-day,  to  put  into  the  ears,  the  mind,  the 
imagination,  the  memory,  the  heart  and  soul  of 


136  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

females,  questions  of  such  a nature,  the  direct  and 
immediate  tendency  of  which — you  know  it  well — 
is  to  fill  the  minds  and  the  hearts  of  both  priests 
and  female  penitents  with  thoughts,  phantoms,  and 
temptations  of  such  a degrading  nature,  that  I do 
not  know  any  words  adequate  to  express  them. 
Pagan  antiquity  has  never  seen  any  institution  more 
polluting  than  the  confessional.  I know  nothing 
more  corrupting  than  the  law  which  forces  a female 
to  tell  her  thoughts,  desires,  and  most  secret  feel- 
ings and  actions  to  an  unmarried  priest.  The  con- 
fessional is  a school  of  perdition.  You  may  deny 
that  before  the  Protestants ; but  you  cannot  deny 
it  before  me.  My  dear  Mr.  Bruyere,  if  you  call 
me  a degraded  man,  because  I have  lived  twenty- 
five  years  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  confessional, 
you  are  right.  I was  a degraded  man,  just  as  your- 
self and  all  the  priests  are  to-day,  in  spite  of  your 
denegations.  If  you  call  me  a degraded  man  be- 
cause my  soul,  my  mind,  and  my  heart  were,  a» 
your  own  are  to-day,  plunged  into  the  deep  waters 
of  iniquity  which  flow  from  the  confessional,  I 
confess,  ‘ Guilty ! ’ I was  degraded  and  polluted 
by  the  confessional,  just  as  you  and  all  the  priests 
of  Eome  are. 

‘ ‘ It  has  required  the  whole  blood  of  the  great 
Victim,  who  died  on  Calvary  for  sinners,  to  purify 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL,  lS7 

me  ; and  I pray  that,  through  the  same  bloody  you 
may  be  purified  also.” 

If  the  legislators  knew  the  respect  and  protection 
they  owe  to  women — I repeat  it — they  would,  by 
ithe  most  stringent  laws,  prohibit  auricular  confes- 
I sion  as  a crime  against  society. 

Not  long  ago,  a printer  in  England  was  sent  to 
jail  and  severely  punished  for  having  published  in 
English  the  questions  put  by  the  priest  to  the  wom- 
en in  the  confessional ; and  the  sentence  was  equit- 
able, for  all  who  will  read  those  questions  will 
conclude  that  no  girl  or  woman  who  brings  her 
mind  into  contact  with  the  contents  of  that  book 
can  escape  from  moral  death.  But  what  are  the 
priests  of  Home  doing  in  the  confessional  ? Do 
they  not  pass  the  greatest  part  of  their  time  in 
questioning  females,  old  and  young,  and  hearing 
their  answers,  on  those  very  matters?  If  it  were 
a crime,  punishable  by  law,  to  present  those  ques- 
tions in  a book,  is  it  not  a crime  far  more  punishable 
by  law  to  present  those  very  things  to  married  and 
unmarried  women  through  the  auricular  confession  ? 

I ask  it  from  every  man  of  common  sense.  What 
is  the  difference  between  a woman  or  a girl  learn- 
ing those  things  in  a book,  or  learning  them  from, 
the  lips  of  a man  ? Will  not  those  impure,  demor- 
alizing suggestions  sink  more  deeply  into  their 


138  THE  PEIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

minds,  and  impress  themselves  more  forcibly  in 
their  memory,  when  told  to  them  by  a man  of  au- 
thority speaking  in  the  name  of  Almiglity  God, 
than  when  read  in  a book  which  has  no  authority  ? 

I say  to  the  legislators  of  Europe  and  America, 
‘‘Head  for  yourselves  those  horrible,  unmention- 
able things  and  remember  that  the  Pope  has 
more  than  100,000  priests  whose  principal  work  is 
to  put  those  very  things  into  the  intelligence  and 
memory  of  the  women  whom  they  entrap  into  their 
snares.  Let  us  suppose  that  each  priest  hears  the 
confessions  of  only  five  female  penitents  every  day 
(though  we  know  that  the  daily  average  is  ten): 
it  gives  the  awful  number  of  500,000  women  whom 
the  priests  of  Pome  have  the  legal  right  to  pollute 
and  destroy  each  day  of  the  year ! 

Legislators  of  the  so-called  Christian  and  civil- 
ized nations  ! I ask  it  again  from  you.  Where  is 
your  consistency,  your  justice,  your  love  of  public 
morality,  when  you  punish  so  severely  the  man 
who  has  printed  the  questions  put  to  the  woman  in 
the  confessional,  while  you  honor  and  let  free,  and 
often  pay  the  men  whose  public  and  private  life  is 
spent  in  spreading  the  very  same  moral  poison  in  a 
much  more  efficacious,  scandalous,  and  shameful 
way,  under  the  mask  of  religion  ! 

Idle  confessional  is  in  the  hands  of  the  devil, 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  ICD 

what  West  Point  is  to  the  United  States,  and  Wool- 
wich is  to  great  Britain,  a training  of  the  army  to 
figlit  and  conquer  the  enemy.  It  is  in  the  confes- 
sional that  500,000  women  every  day,  and  182,- 
000,000  every  year,  are  trained  by  the  Pope  in  the 
art  of  fighting  against  God,  by  destroying  them- 
selves and  the  whole  world,  through  every  imagin- 
able kind  of  impurity  and  filthiness. 

Once  more,  I request  the  legislators,  the  hus- 
bands, and  the  fathers  in  Europe,  as  well  as  in 
America  and  Australia,  to  read  in  Dens,  Liguori, 
Debreyne^  in  every  theological  book  of  Pome, 
what  their  wives  and  their  daughters  have  to  learn 
in  the  confessional. 

In  order  to  screen  themselves,  the  piiests  of 
Rome  have  recourse  to  the  following  miserable  sub- 
terfuge : — ‘‘  Is  not  the  physician  forced,”  they  say, 

to  perform  certain  delicate  operations  on  women  ? 
Do  you  complain  of  this  ? No  ! you  let  the  phy- 
sician alone  ; you  do  not  abuse  them  in  their  ardu- 
ous and  conscientious  duties.  Why,  then,  should 
you  insult  the  physician  of  the  soul,  the  confessor, 
in  the  accomplishment  of  his  holy,  though  delicate 
duties  ?” 

I answer,  first.  The  art  and  science  of  the  physi- 
cian are  approved  and  praised  in  many  parts  of  the 
Scriptures.  But  the  art  and  science  of  the  confes- 


140  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

sor  are  nowhere  to  be  found  in  the  holy  records. 
Auricular  confession  is  nothing  else  than  a most 
stupendous  imposture.  The  filthy  and  impure 
questions  of  the  confessor,  with  the  polluting  an- 
swers they  elicit,  were  put  among  the  most  diabol- 
ical and  forbidden  actions  by  God  Himself,  the  day 
that  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  Holiness,  and  Life  wrote 
the  imperishable  words — ‘‘Let  no  corrupt  commu- 
nication proceed  out  of  your  mouth.”  (Eph.  iv,  29.) 

Secondly,  The  physician  is  not  bound  by  a sol- 
emn oath  to  remain  ignorant  of  the  things  which  it 
will  be  his  duty  to  examine  and  cure.  But  the 
priest  of  Rome  is  bound,  by  the  most  ridiculous  and 
impious  oath  of  celibacy,  to  remain  ignorant  of  the 
very  things  which  are  the  daily  objects  of  his  in- 
quiries, observation,  and  thoughts  ! The  priest  of 
Rome  has  sworn  never  to  taste  of  the  fruits  with 
which  he  feeds  his  imagination,  his  memory,  his 
heart,  and  his  soul  day  and  night ! The  physician 
is  honest  in  the  performance  of  his  duties  ; but  the 
priest  of  Rome  becomes,  in  fact,  a perjured  man, 
every  time  he  enters  the  confessional-box. 

Thirdly,  If  a lady  has  a little  sore  on  her  small 
finger,  and  is  obliged  to  go  to  the  physician  for  a 
remedy,  she  has  only  to  show  her  little  finger,  allow 
the  plaster  or  ointment  to  be  applied,  and  all  is 
finished.  The  physician  never — no  never — says  to 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  Xil 

that  lady,  ‘‘It  is  my  duty  to  suspect  that  you  have 
many  other  parts  of  your  body  which  are  sick ; I 
am  bound  in  conscience,  under  pain  of  death,  to 
examine  you  from  head  to  foot,  in  order  to  save 
your  precious  life  from  those  secret  diseases,  which 
may  kill  you  if  they  are  not  cured  just  now.  Sev- 
eral of  those  diseases  are  of  such  a nature  that  you 
never  dared  perhaps  to  examine  them  with  the 
attention  they  deserve,  and  you  are  hardly  conscious 
of  them.  I know,  madam,  that  this  is  a very  pain- 
ful and  delicate  thing  for  both  you  and  me,  that  I 
should  be  forced  to  make  that  thorough  examina- 
tion of  your  person  ; however,  there  is  no  help ; I 
am  in  duty  bound  to  do  it.  But  you  have  nothing 
te  fear.  I am  a holy  man,  who  have  made  a vow 
of  celibacy.  We  are  alone  ; neither  your  husband 
nor  your  father  will  ever  know  the  secret  infirmities 
I may  find  in  you : they  will  never  even  suspect 
the  perfect  investigation  I will  make,  and  they  will, 
forever,  be  ignorant  of  the  remedy  I will  apply.” 

Has  any  physician  ever  been  authorized  to  speak 
or  act  in  this  way  with  any  of  his  female  patients  ? 
No, — never!  never! 

But  this  is  just  the  way  the  spiritual  physician, 
t)y  whom  the  devil  enslaves  and  corrupts  women, 
acts.  When  the  fair,  honest,  and  timid  spiritual 
oat  lent  has  come  to  her  confessor,  to  show  him  th^ 


142  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

little  sore  she  has  on  the  small  finger  of  her  soul, 
the  confessor  is  hound  in  conscience  to  suspect  that 
she  has  other  sores — secret,  shameful  sores  ! Yes, 
he  is  bound,  nine  times  out  of  ten ; and  he  is 
always  allowed  to  suppose  that  slie  does  not  dare  to 
reveal  them  ! Then  he  is  advised  by  the  Church 
to  induce  her  to  let  him  search  every  corner  of  the 
heart,  and  of  the  soul,  and  to  inquire  about  all 
kinds  of  contaminations,  impurities,  secret,  shame- 
ful, and  unspeakable  matters!  The  young  priest 
is  drilled  in  the  diabolical  art  of  going  into  the 
most  sacred  recesses  of  the  soul  and  the  heart, 
almost  in  spite  of  his  penitents.  I could  bring 
hundreds  of  theologians  as  witnesses  to  the  truth  of 
what  I here  say  : but  it  is  enough  just  now  to  cite 
three : — 

‘^Lest  the  confessor  should  indolently  hesitate 
in  tracing  out  the  circumstances  of  any  sin,  let  him 
have  the  following  versicle  of  circumstances  in  read- 
iness : 

‘‘Quis,  quid,  ubi,  quibus  auxiliis,  cur,  quomodo, 
quando.  Who,  which,  where,  with  whom,  why, 
how,  when.”  (Dens,  vol.  6,  p.  123.  Liguori, 
vol.  2,  p.  464.) 

The  celebrated  book  of  the  Priests,  ^‘The  Mir- 
ror of  the  Clergy,”  page  357,  says: 

Oportet  ut  Confessor  solet  cognoscere  quid  quid 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  143 

debet  judicare.  Deligens  igitur  inquisitor  et  sub- 
tillis  investigator  sapienter,  quasi  astute,  interrogat 
a peccatore  quod  ignorat,  vel  verecundia  volit  oo 
cultare.” 

‘‘  It  is  necessary  that  the  confessor  should  know 
everything  on  which  he  has  to  exercise  his  judg- 
ment. Let  him  then,  with  wisdom  and  subtility, 
interrogate  the  sinners  on  the  sins  which  they  may 
ignore^  or  conceal  through  shame  !” 

The  poor  unprotected  girl  is,  thus,  thrown  into 
the  power  of  the  priest,  soul  and  body,  to  be  ex- 
amined on  all  the  sins  she  may  ignore,  or  which, 
through  shame,  she  may  conceal ! On  what  a 
boundless  sea  of  depravity  the  poor  fragile  bark  is 
launched  by  the  priest ! On  what  bottomless 
abysses  of  impurities  she  will  have  to  pass  and 
travel,  in  company  with  the  priest  alone,  before  he 
will  have  interrogated  her  on  all  the  sins  she  may 
ignore^  or  which  she  may  have  concealed  through 
shame  ! ! Who  can  tell  the  sentiments  of  surprise, 
shame,  and  distress,  of  a timid,  honest,  young  girl, 
when,  for  the  first  time,  she  is  initiated,  through 
those  questions,  to  infamies  which  are  ignored  even 
in  houses  of  prostitution ! ! ! 

But  such  is  the  practice,  the  sacred  duty  of  the 
spiritual  physician.  ‘‘Let  him  (the  priest  confes- 
8\:>r),  with  wisdom  and  subtlety,  interrogate  the 


144  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

sinners  on  the  sins  they  may  ignore  or  con.  al 
through  shame.” 

And  there  are  more  than  100,000  men,  not'>nly 
allowed,  but  petted,  and  often  paid  by  so-called 
Protestant,  Christian,  and  civilised  governments  to 
do  that  under  the  name  of  the  God  of  the  Gospel ! 

Fourthly,  I answer  to- the  sophism  of  the  priest  • 
When  the  physician  has  any  delicate  and  danger 
ous  operation  to  perform  on  a female  patient,  he 
neeer  alone ; the  husband,  or  the  father,  the  moth- 
er, the  sister,  or  some  friends  of  the  patient  are 
there,  whose  scrutinising  eyes  and  attentive  ears 
make  it  impossible  for  the  physician  to  say  or  do 
any  improper  thing. 

But  when  the  poor,  deluded  spiritual  patient 
wmes  to  be  treated  by  her  so-called  spiritual  physi- 
cian, and  shows  him  her  disease,  is  she  not  alone — 
shamefully  alone — with  him  ? Where  are  the  pro- 
tecting ears  of  the  husband,  the  father,  the  mother, 
the  sisters,  or  the  friends  ? Where  is  the  barrier 
interposed  between  this  sinful,  weak,  tempted,  and 
often  depraved  man  and  his  victim? 

Would  the  priest  so  freely  ask  this  and  that  from 
a married  woman,  if  he  knew  that  her  husband 
could  hear  him  ? No,  surely  not ! for  he  is  well 
aware  that  the  enraged  husband  would  blow  out  the 
brains  of  the  villian  who.  under  the  sacrilegious 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  145 

pretext  of  purifying  the  soul  of  his  wife,  is  filling 
her  breast  with  every  kind  of  pollution  and  infamy. 

Fifthly,  When  the  physician  performs  a delicate 
operation  on  one  of  his  female  patients,  the  oper- 
ation is  usually  accompanied  with  pain,  cries,  and 
often  with  bloodshed.  The  sympathetic  and  hon- 
est physician  suffers  almost  as  much  pain  as  his  pa- 
tient; those  cries,  acute  pains,  tortures,  and  bleed- 
ing wounds  make  it  morally  impossible  that  the 
physician  should  be  tempted  to  any  improper  thing. 

But  the  sight  of  the  spiritual  wounds  of  that  fair 
penitent!  Is  the  poor  depraved  human  heart 
really  sorry  to  see  and  examine  them?  Oh,  no!  it 
is  just  the  contrary. 

The  dear  Saviour  weeps  over  those  wounds;  the 
angels  are  distressed  at  the  sight.  Yes!  But  the 
deceitful  and  corrupt  heart  of  man!  is  it  not  rather 
apt  to  be  pleased  at  the  sight  of  wounds  which  are 
so  much  like  the  ones  he  has  himself  so  often  been 
pleased  to  receive  from  the  hand  of  the  enemy? 

Was  the  heart  of  David  pained  and  horror-struck 
at  the  sight  of  the  fair  Bathsheba,  when,  impru- 
dently, and  too  freely,  exposed  in  her  bath?  Was 
not  that  holy  prophet  smitten,  and  brought  down 
to  the  dust,  by  that  guilty  look?  Was  not  the 
mighty  giant,  Samson,  undone  by  the  charms  of 
Delilah?  W as  not  the  wise  Solomon  ensnared  and 


\ t6  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

befooled  in  the  midst  of  the  women  by  whom  ho 
was  surrounded? 

Who  will  believe  that  the  bachelors  of  the  Pope 
are  made  of  stronger  metal  than  the  Davids,  the 
Samsons  and  the  Solomons?  Where  is  the  maij 
who  has  so  completely  lost  his  common  sense  as  to 
believe  that  the  priests  of  Rome  are  stronger  than 
Samson,  holier  than  David,  wiser  than  Solomon? 
Who  will  believe  that  confessors  will  stand  up  on 
their  feet  amidst  the  storms  which  prostrate  in  tlio 
dust  those  giants  of  the  armies  of  the  Lord?  To 
suppose  that,  in  the  generality  of  cases,  the  confes- 
sor can  resist  the  temptations  by  which  he  is  daily 
surrounded  in  the  confessional,  that  he  will  com 
stantly  refuse  the  golden  opportunities,  which  offei 
themselves  tahim,  to  satisfy  the  almost  irresistibk 
propensities  of  his  fallen  human  nature,  is  neither 
wisdom  nor  charity;  it  is  simply  folly. 

I do  not  say  that  all  the  confessors  and  their  fe 
male  penitents  fall  into  the  same  degree  of  abject 
degradation;  thanks  be  to  God,  I have  known  sev- 
eral, who  nobly  fought  their  battles,  and  conquered 
on  that  field  of  so  many  shameful  defeats.  But 
these  are  the  exceptions.  It  is  just  as  when  the 
fire  has  ravaged  one  of  our  grand  forests  of  Amer- 
ica— how  sad  it  is  to  see  the  numberless  Jioble  trees 
fallen  under  the  devouring  element  ! But,  here 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  147 

and  there,  the  traveler  is  not  a little  amazed  and 
pleased,  to  find  some  which  have  proudly  stood  the 
fiery  trial,  without  being  consumed. 

W as  not  the  world  at  large  struck  with  terror, 
when  they  heard  of  the  fire  which,  a few  years  ago, 
reduced  the  great  city  of  Chicago  to  ashes!  But 
those  who  have  visited  that  doomed  city,  and  seen 
the  desolating  ruins  of  her  16,000  houses,  had  to 
stand  in  silent  admiration  before  a few,  which,  in 
the  very  midst  of  an  ocean  of  fire,  had  escaped  un- 
touched by  the  destructive  element. 

It  is  a fact,  that  owing  to  a most  marvelous  pro- 
tection of  God,  some  privileged  souls,  here  and 
there,  do  escape  the  fatal  destruction  which  over- 
takes so  many  others  in  the  confessional. 

The  confessional  is  like  the  spider’s  web.  How 
many  too  unsuspecting  Hies  find  death,  when  seek- 
ing rest  on  the  beautiful  framework  of  their  deceit- 
ful enemy!  How  few  escape!  and  this  only  after 
a most  desperate  struggle.  See  how  the  perfidious 
spider  looks  harmless  in  his  retired,  dark  corner; 
how  motionless  he  is;  how  patiently  he  waits  for 
his  opportunity!  But  look  how  quickly  he  sur- 
rounds his  victim  with  his  silky,  delicate,  and  im- 
perceptible links!  how  mercilessly  he  sucks  its 
blood  and  destroys  its  life  ! 

What  remains  of  the  imprudent  fly,  after  she  ]i  s 


148  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

been  entrapped  into  the  nets  of  her  foel^  Nothing 
but  a skeleton.  So  it  is  with  your  fair  wife,  your 
precious  daughter;  nine  times  out  of  ten,  nothing 
but  a moral  skeleton  returns  to  you,  after  the  Pope’s 
black  spider  has  been  allowed  to  suck  the  very 
blood  of  her  heart  and  soul.  Let  those  who  would 
be  tempted  to  think  that  I exaggerate,  read  the 
following  extracts  from  the  memoirs  of  the  Vener- 
able Scipio  do  Ricci,  Roman  Catholic  Bishop  of 
Pistoia  and  Prato,  in  Italy.  They  were  published 
by  the  Roman  Catholic  Italian  Government,  to 
show  to  the  world  that  some  measures  had  to  be 
taken,  by  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  authorities,  to 
jirevent  the  nation  from  being  entirely  swept  away 
by  the  deluge  of  corruption  flowing  from  the  con- 
fessional, even  among  the  most  perfect  of  Rome’s 
followers,  the  monks  and  the  nuns.  The  priest? 
have  never  dared  to  deny  a single  iota  of  these  ter- 
rible revelations.  On  page  115  we  read  the  follow- 
ing letter  from  sister  Flavia  Peraccini,  Prioress  ol 
St.  Catharine,  to  Dr.  Thomas  Campari  na,  Rector 
of  the  Episcopal  Seminary  of  Pistoia: — 

In  compliance  with  the  request  which  you  made 
me  this  day,  I hasten  to  say  something,  but  I know 
not  how. 

Of  those  who  have  gone  out  of  the  world,  I shall 
say  nothing.  Of  those  who  are  still  alive  and  have 


THE  PKIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  149^ 


very  little  decency  of  conduct,  there  are  many, 
among  whom  there  is  an  ex-provincial  named 
Father  Dr.  Ballendi,  Calvi,  Zoratti,  Bigliaci,  Guidi, 
Miglieti,  Verde,  Rianchi,  Diicci,  Seraphini,  Bolla, 
Nera  di  Luca,  Quaretti,  &c.  But  wherefore  any 
more?  With  the  exception  of  three  or  four,  all 
those  whom  I have  ever  known,  alive  or  dead,  are 
of  the  same  character;  they  have  all  the  same 
maxims  and  the  same  conduct. 

^‘They  are  on  more  intimate  terms  with  the  nuns 
than  if  they  were  married  to  them!  I repeat  it,  it 
would  require  a great  deal  of  time  to  tell  half  of 
what  I know.  It  is  the  custom  now,  when  they 
come  to* visit  and  hear  the  confession  of  a sick 
sister,  to  sup  w ith  the  nuns,  sing,  dance,  play,  and 
sleep  in  the  convent.  It  is  a maxim  of  theirs  that 
God  has  forbidden  hatred,  but  not  love;  and  that 
man  is  made  for  woman  and  woman  for  man. 

I say  that  they  can  deceive  the  innocent  and 
the  most  prudent  and  circumspect,  and  that  it  would 
be  a miracle  to  converse  with  them  and  not  fall!’' 

Page  117. — ^^The  priests  are  the  husbands  of 
the  nuns,  and  the  lay  brothers  of  the  lay  sisters^ 
In  the  chamber  of  one  of  the  nuns  I have  men- 
tioned, a man  was  one  day  found;  he  fled  away 
but,  soon  after,  they  gave  him  to  us  as  our  confes 
sor  extraordinary. 


150  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

^^How  many  bishops  are  there  in  the 
States  who  have  come  to  the  knowledge  of  those 
disorders,  have  held  examinations  and  visitations, 
and  yet  never  could  remedy  it,  because  the  monks, 
our  confessors,  tell  us  that  those  are  excommuni- 
cated who  reveal  what  passes  in  the  Order! 

Poor  creatures ! they  think  they  are  leaving  the 
world  to  escape  dangers,  and  they  only  meet  with 
greater  ones.  Our  fathers  and  mothers  have  given 
us  a good  education,  and  here  we  have  to  unlearn 
an  d forget  what  they  have  taught  us.” 

Page  188. — Do  not  suppose  that  this  is.  the 
case  in  our  convent  alone.  It  is  just  the  same  at 
St.  Lucia,  Prato,  Pisa,  Perugia,  &c.  I have  known 
things  that  would  astonish  you.  Everywhere  it  is 
the  same.  Yes,  everywhere  the  same  disorders, 
the  same  abuses  prevail.  I say,  and  I repeat  it, 
let  the  superiors  suspect  as  they  may,  they  do  not 
know  the  smallest  part  of  the  enormous  wicked- 
ness that  goes  on  between  the  monks  and  the  nuns 
whom  they  confess.  Every  monk  who  passed  by 
on  his  way  to  the  chapter,  entreated  a sick  sister 
to  confess  to  him,  and 1 ” 

Page  119. — With  respect  to  Father  Buzachini, 
I say  that  he  acted  just  as  the  others,  sitting  up 
late  in  the  nunnery,  diverting  himself,  and  letting 
the  usual  disorders  go  on.  There  were  several 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  151 

nuns  who  had  love  affairs  on  his  account.  His 
own  principal  mistress  was  Odaldi,  of  St.  Lucia, 
who  used  to  send  him  continual  treats.  He  was 
also  in  love  with  the  daughter  of  our  factor,  ot 
whom  they  were  very  jealous  here.  He  ruined  also 
poor  Cancellieri,  who  was  sextoness.  The  monks 
are  all  alike  with  their  penitents. 

Some  years  ago,  the  nuns  of  St.  Vincent,  in 
consequence  of  the  extraordinary  passion  they  had 
for  their  father  confessors  Lupi  and  Borghini,  were 
divided  into  two  parties,  one  calling  themselves 
Le  Lupe,  the  other  Le  Borghiani. 

He  who  made  the  greatest  noise  was  Donati. 
I believe  he  is  now  at  Borne.  Father  Brandi,  too, 
was  also  in  great  vogue.  I think  he  is  now  Prior 
of  St.  Gremignani.  At  St.  Vincent,  which  passes 
for  a very  holy  retreat,  they  have  also  their  lov- 


My  pen  refuses  to  reproduce  several  things  which 
the  nuns  of  Italy  have  published  against  their 
father  confessors.  But  this  is  . enough  to  show  to 
the  most  incredulous  that  the  confession  is  noth- 
ing else  but  a school  of  perdition,  even  among  those 
who  make  a profession  to  live  in  the  highest 
regions  of  Eoman  Catholic  holiness— the  monks 
and  the  nuns. 

Now,  from  Italy  let  us  go  to  America  and  see 


152  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

again  the  working  of  auricular  confession,  not  be- 
tween the  holy  ( ?)  nuns  and  monks  of  Rome,  but 
among  the  humblest  classes  of  country  women  and 
priests.  Great  is  the  number  of  parishes  where 
women  have  been  destroyed  by  their  confessors,, 
but  I will  speak  onjy  of  one. 

When  curate  of  Beauport,  I was  called  by  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Proulx,  curate  of  St.  Antoine,  to  preach 
a retreat  (a  revival)  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Aubry,  to 
his  parishioners,  and  eight  or  ten  other  priests  were 
also  invited  to  come  and  help  us  to  hear  the  con- 
fessions. 

The  very  first  day,  after  preaching  and  passing 
five  or  six  hours  in  the  confessional,  the  hospitable 
curate  gave  us  a supper  before  going  to  bed.  But 
it  was  evident  that  a kind  of  uneasiness  pervaded 
the  whole  company  of  the  father  confessors.  For 
my  own  part  I could  liardly  raise  my  eyes  to  look 
at  my  neighbor;  and,  when  I wanted  to  speak  a 
word,  it  seemed  that  my  tongue  was  not  free  as 
usual;  even  my  throat  was  as  if  it  were  choked: 
the  articulation  of  the  sounds  was  imperfect.  It 
was  evidently  the  same  with  the  rest  of  the  priests. 
Instead,  then,  of  the  noisy  and  cheerful  conversa- 
tions of  the  other  meals,  there  were  only  a few  in- 
significant words  exchanged  with  a half-suppressed 
tone. 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  153 


The  Kev.  Mr.  Proulx  (the  curate)  at  first  looked 
as  if  he  also  were  partaking  of  that  singular,  though 
general,  despondent  feeling.  During  the  first  part 
of  the  lunch  he  hardly  said  a word;  but,  at  last, 
raising  his  head,  and  turning  his  honest  face  towards 
us,  in  his  usual  gentlemanly,  and  cheerful  manner, 
he  said: — 

Dear  friends,  I see  that  you  are  all  under  the 
influence  of  the  most  painful  feelings.  There  is  a 
burden  on  you  that  you  can  neither  shake  oflf  nor 
bear  as  you  wish.  I know  the  cause  of  your  trouble, 
and  I hope  you  will  not  find  fault  with  me,  if  I 
help  you  to  recover  from  that  disagreeable  mental 
condition.  You  have  heard,  in  the  confessional, 
the  history  of  many  great  sins;  but  I know  that 
this  is  not  what  troubles  you.  You  are  all  old 
enough  in  the  confessional  to  know  the  miseries  of 
poor  human  nature.  Without  any  more  prelimi- 
naries, I will  come  to  the  subject.  It  is  no  more  a 
secret  in  this  place,  that  one  of  the  priests  who  has 
preceded  me,  has  been  very  unfortunate,  weak,  and 
guilty  with  the  greatest  part  of  the  married  women 
whom  he  has  confessed.  Not  more  than  one  in  ten 
has  escaped  him.  I would  not  mention  this  fact 
had  I got  it  only  from  the  confessional,  but  I know 
it  well  from  other  sources,  and  I can  speak  of  it 
freely,  without  breaking  the  secret  seal  of  the  con- 


154  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

fessioiial.  Now,  what  troubles  you  is  that,  proba- 
bly, when  a great  number  of  those  women  have 
confessed  to  you  what  they  had  done  with  their 
confessor,  you  ha\"e  not  asked  them  how  long  it 
was  since  they  had  sinned  with  him,  and  in  spite 
of  yourselves,  you  think  that  I am  the  guilty  man. 
This  does,  naturally,  embarrass  you,  when  you  are 
in  my  presence,  and  at  my  table.  But  please  ask 
them,  when  they  come  again  to  confess,  how  many 
months  or  years  have  passed  away  since  their  last 
love  affair  with  a confessor;  and  you  will  see  that 
you  may  suppose  that  you  are  in  the  house  of  an 
honest  man.  You  may  look  me  in  the  face,  and 
have  no  fears  to  address  me  as  if  I were  still  worthy 
of  your  esteem;  for,  thanks  be  to  God,  I am  not 
the  guilty  priest  who  has  ruined  and  destroyed  so 
many  souls  here.” 

The  curate  had  hardly  pronounced  the  last  word, 
when  a general  We  thank  you,  for  you  have 
taken  away  a mountain  from  our  shoulders,”  fell 
from  almost  every  lip. 

It  is  a fact  that,  notwithstanding  the  good 
opinion  we  had  of  you,”  said  several,  we  were 
in  fear  that  you  had  missed  the  right  track,  and 
fallen  down  with  your  fair  penitents,  into  the 
ditch.” 

I felt  much  relieved;  for  I was  one  of  those  who, 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CON FES8ION AE.  ![)'> 


in  spite  ot  myself,  had  my  secret  fears  about  the 
honesty  of  our  host.  When,  very  early  the  next 
morning,  I had  begun  to  hear  the  confessions,  one 
of  those  unfortunate  victims  of  the  confessor’s  de- 
pravity came  to  me,  and  in  the  midst  of  many  tears 
and  sobs,  she  told  me,  with  great  details,  what  I 
repeat  here  in  a few  lines: — 

I was  only  nine  years  old  when  my  first  con- 
fessor began  to  do  very  criminal  things  with  me, 
every  time  I was  at  his  feet  confessing  my  sins. 
At  first,  I was  ashamed  and  much  disgusted;  but 
soon  after,  I became  so  depraved  that  I was  look- 
ing eagerly  for  every  opportunity  of  meeting  him, 
either  in  his  own  house,  or  in  the  church,  in  the 
vestry,  and  many  times,  in  his  own  garden,  when 
it  was  dark  at  night.  That  priest  did  not  remain 
V(uy  long;  he  was  removed,  to  my  great  regret,  to 
another  place,  where  he  died.  He  was  succeeded 
by  another  one,  who  seemed  at  first  to  be  a very 
holy  man.  I made  to  him  a general  confession 
with,  it  seemed  to  me,  a sincere  desire  to  give  up 
forever,  that  sinful  life;  but  I fear  that  my  confes- 
sions became  a cause  of  sin  to  that  good  priest; 
for,  not  long  after  my  confession  was  finished,  he 
declared  to  me,  in  the  confessional,  his  love,  with 
such  passionate  words,  that  he  soon  brought  me 
down  again  into  my  former  criminal  habits  wHh 


156  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

him.  This  lasted  six  years,  when  my  parents  re- 
moved to  this  place.  I was  very  glad  for  it,  for  I 
hoped  that,  being  away  from  him,  I should  not  be 
any  more  a cause  of  sin  to  him,  and  that  I might 
begin  a better  life.  But  the  fourth  time  that  I went 
to  confess  to  my  new  confessor,  he  invited  me  to 
go  to  his  room,  where  we  did  things  so  disgusting' 
together,  that  I do  not  know  how  to  confess  them. 
It  was  two  days  before  my  marriage,  and  the  only 
child  I have  had  is  the  fruit  of  that  sinful  hour. 
After  my  marriage,  I continued  the  same  criminal 
life  with  my  confessor.  He  was  the  friend  of  my 
husband;  we  had  many  opportunities  of  meeting 
each  other,  not  only  when  I was  going  to  confess, 
but  when  my  husband  was  absent  and  my  child 
was  at  school.  It  was  evident  to  me  that  several 
other  women  were  as  miserable  and  criminal  as  I 
was  myself.  This  sinful  intercourse  with  my  con- 
fessor went  on,  till  God  Almighty  stopped  it  with 
a real  thunderbolt.  My  dear  only  daughter  had 
gone  to  confess,  and  received  the  holy  communion. 
As  she  came  back  from  church  much  later  than  I 
expected,  I inquired  the  reason  which  had  kept  her 
so  long.  She  then  threw  herself  into  my  arms, 
and,  with  convulsive  cries  said, — ^ Dear  mother,  do 

not  ask  me  to  go  to  confess  any  more Oh!  if 

you  could  know  what  my  confessor  asked  me  when 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  157 

I was  at  his  feet!  and  if  you  could  know  what  he 
has  done  with  me,  and  he  has  forced  me  to  do  with 
him,  when  he  had  me  alone  in  his  parlor!’’ 

My  poor  child  chould  not  speak  any  longer;  she 
fainted  in  my  arms. 

^^As  soon  as  she  recovered,  without  losing  a 
minute,  I dressed  myself,  and,  full  of  an  inexpres- 
sible rage,  I directed  my  steps  towards  the  parson- 
age. But  before  leaving  my  house,  I had  concealed 
under  my  shawl  a sharp  butcher’s  knife,  to  stab 
and  kill  the  villain  who  had  destroyed  my  dearly 
beloved  child.  Fortunately  for  that  priest,  God 
changed  my  mind  before  I entered  his  room:  my 
words  to  him  were  few  and  sharp. 

'^^You  are  a monster!  ” I said  to  him.  ‘Not 
satisfied  to  have  destroyed  me,  you  want  to  destroy 
my  own  dear  child,  which  is  yours  also!  Shame 
upon  you!  I had  come  with  this  knife,  to  put  an 
end  to  your  infamies;  but  so  short  a punishment 
would  be  too  mild  a one  for  such  a monster.  I 
want  you  to  live,  that  you  may  bear  upon  your 
head  the  curse  of  the  too  unsuspecting  and  un- 
gnarded  friends  whom  you  have  so  cruelly  deceived 
and  betrayed.  I want  you  to  live  with  the  con- 
sciousness that  you  are  known  by  me  and  many 
others,  as  one  of  the  most  infamous  monsters  who 
has  ever  defiled  this  world.  But  know  that  if  you 


158  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

are  not  away  from  this  place  before  the  end  of  this 
week,  I will  reveal  everything  to  my  husband;  and 
you  may  be  sure  that  he  will  not  let  you  live 
twenty-four  hours  longer;  for  he  sincerely  thinks 
your  daughter  is  his;  he  will  be  the  avenger  of  her 
honor!  I go  to  denounce  you,  this  very  day,  to 
the  bishop,  that  he  may  take  you  away  from  this 
parish,  which  you  have  so  shamelessly  polluted.’’ 
The  priest  threw  himself  at  my  feet,  and,  with 
tears,  asked  my  pardon,  imploring  me  not  to  de- 
nounce him  to  the  bishop,  and  promising  that  he 
would  change  his  life  and  begin  to  live  as  a good 
priest.  But  I remained  inexorable.  I went  to  the 
bishop,  and  warned  his  lordship  of  the  sad  conse- 
quences which  would  follow,  if  he  kept  that  curate 
any  longer  in  this  place,  as  he  seemed  inclined  to 
do.  But  before  the  eight  clays  had  expired,  he 
was  put  at  the  head  of  another  parish,  not  very  far 
away  from  here.” 

The  reader  will,  perhaps,  like  to  know  what  has 
become  of  this  priest. 

He  remained  at  the  head  of  that  most  beautiful 
parish  of  Beaumont,  as  curate,  where,  I know  it 
for  a fact,  he  continued  to  destroy  his  penitents, 
till  a few  years  before  he  died,  with  the  reputation 
of  a good  priest,  an  amiable  man,  and  a holy  con- 
fessor I 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN,  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  159 


For  the  mystery  of  iniquity  doth  already  work:  .... 

And  then  shall  that  Wicked  be  revealed,  whom  the  Lord 
shall  consume  with  the  spirit  of  His  mouth,  and  shall  destroy 
with  the  brightness  of  His  coming : 

Even  him,  whose  coming  is  after  the  working  of  Satan, 
with  all  power  and  signs  and  lying  wonders. 

And  with  all  deceivableness  of  unrighteousness  in  them  that 
perish;  because  they  received  not  the  love  of  the  truth,  that 
they  might  be  saved. 

And  for  this  cause  God  shall  send  them  strong  delusion,  that 
they  should  believe  a lie : 

That  they  all  might  be  damned  who  believed  not  the  truth, 
but  had  pleasure  in  unrighteousness.  (2  Thess.  ii.  7 — 12). 


CHAPTER  VII. 


SHOULD  AURICULAR  CONFESSION  BE  TOLERATED 
AMONG  CIVILIZED  NATIONS. 


ET  my  readers  who  understand  Latin,  peruse 


the  extracts  I give  from  Bishop  Kenrick, 
Debreyne,  Burchard,  Dens,  or  Liguori,  and  the 
most  incredulous  will  learn  for  themselves  that  the 
world,  even  in  the  darkest  ages  of  old  paganism, 
ha>^  never  seen  anything  more  infamous  and  de- 
grading as  auricular  confession. 

To  say  that  auricular  confession  purifies  the 
soul,  is  not  less  ridiculous  and  silly  than  to  say 
that  the  white  robe  of  the  virgin,  or  the  lily  of  the 
valley,  will  become  whiter  by  being  dipped  into  a 
bottle  of  black  ink. 

Has  not  the  Pope’s  celibate,  by  studying  his 
books  before  he  goes  to  the  confessional-box,  cor- 
rupted his  own  heart,  and  plunged  his  mind, 
memory,  and  soul  into  an  atmosphere  of  impurity 
which  would  have  been  intolerable  even  to  the 
people  of  Sodom? 


You  are  a monsterl 


[P-  1 57 


LiBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 
URBANA 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  161 

We  ask  it  not  only  in  the  name  of  religion,  but 
^ Df  common  sense.  How  can  that  man,  whose  heart 
and  memory  are  just  made  the  reservoir  of  all  the 
grossest  impurities  the  world  has  ever  known,  help 
others  to  be  chaste  and  pure? 

The  idolaters  of  India  believe  that  they  will  be 
purified  from  their  sins  by  drinking  the  water  with 
which  they  have  just  washed  the  feet  of  their  priests. 

What  monstrous  doctrine ! The  souls  of  men 
purified  by  the  water  which  has  washed  the  feet  of 
a miserable,  sinful  man ! Is  there  any  religion 
more  monstrous  and  diabolical  than  the  Brahmin 
religion  ? 

Yes,  there  is  one  more  monstrous,  deceitful,  and 
contaminating  than  that.  It  is  the  religion  which 
teaches  that  the  soul  of  man  is  purified  by  a few 
magical  words  (called  absolution)  which  come  from 
the  lips  of  a miserable  sinner,  whose  heart  and  in- 
telligence have  just  been  filled  by  the  unmention- 
able impurities  of  Dens,  Liguori,  Debreyne,  Ken- 
rick,  &c.,  &c.  For  if  tlie  poor  Indian’s  soul  is  not 
purified  by  the  drinking  of  the  holy  (?)  water 
which  has  touched  tlie  feet  of  Ins  priest,  at  least 
that  soul  cannot  be  contaminated  by  it.  But  who 
does  not  clearly  see  that  the  drinking  of  the  vile 
questions  of  the  confessor  contaminate,  defile  and 
damn  the  soul  ? 


162  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN,  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

Who  has  not  been  filled  with  deep  compassion 
and  pity  for  those  poor  idolaters  of  Hindoostan,^  • 
who  believe  that  they  will  secure  to  themselves  a 
happy  passage  to  the  next  life,  if  they  have  the 
good  luck  to  die  when  holding  in  their  hands  the 
tail  of  a cow?  But  there  are  people  among  us  who 
are  not  less  worthy  of  our  supreme  compassion  and 
pity;  for  they  hope  that  they  will  be  purified  from 
their  sins  and  be  forever  happy,  if  a few  magical 
words  (called  absolution)  fall  upon  their  souls  from 
the  polluted  lips  of  a miserable  sinner,  sent  by  the 
Pope  of  Rome.  The  dirty  tail  of  a cow,  and  the 
magical  words  of  a confessor,  to  purify  the  souls 
and  wash  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  are  equally 
inventions  of  the  devil.  Both  religions  come  from 
Satan,  for  they  equally  substitute  the  magical 
power  of  vile  creatures  for  the  blood  of  Christ,  to 
safe  the  guilty  children  of  Adam.  They  both  ig- 
nore that  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  alone  cleanseth  us 
from  all  sin. 

Yes!  auricular  confession  is  a public  act  of 
idolatry.  It  is  asking  from  a man  what  God  aloney 
through  His  Son  Jesus,  can  grant:  forgiveness  of 
sins.  Has  the  Saviour  of  the  world  ever  said  to 
sinners,  Go  to  this  or  that  man  for  repentance, 
pardon  and  peace?’’  No:  but  he  has  said  to  all 
sinners,  Come  unto  me.”  And  from  that  day  to 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  163 

the  end  of  the  world,  all  the  echoes  of  heaven  and 
earth  will  repeat  these  words  of  the  merciful 
Saviour  to  all  the  lost  children  of  Adam — Come 
unto  me.” 

When  Christ  gave  to  His  disciples  the  power  of 
the  keys  in  these  words,  whatsoever  ye  shall  bind 
on  earth,  shall  be  bound  in  heaven ; and  whatso- 
ever ye  shall  loose  on  earth  shall  be  loosed  in  heav- 
en” (Matt,  xviii.  18),  He  had  just  explained  His 
mind  by  saying,  If  thy  brother  shall  trespass 
against  thee  ” (v.  15).  The  Son  of  God  Himself, 
in  that  solemn  hour,  protested  against  the  stupen- 
dous imposture  of  Rome,  by  telling  us  positively 
that  that  power  of  binding  and  loosing,  forgiving 
and  retaining  sins,  was  only  in  reference  to  sins 
committed  against  each  other,  Peter  had  correctly 
understood  his  Master’s  words,  when  he  asked, 
“How  oft  shall  my  brother  sin  against  me  and  I 
forgive  him?” 

And  in  order  that  His  true  disciples  might  not 
be  shaken  by  the  sophisms  of  Rome,  or  by  the 
glittering  nonsense  of  that  band  of  silly  half-Popish 
Episcopalians,  called  Tractarians,  Ritualists,  or 
Puseyites,  the  merciful  Saviour  gave  the  admirable 
parable  of  the  poor  servant,  which  He  closed  by 
what  He  has  so  often  repeated,  “ So  likewise  shall 
my  Heavenly  Father  do  also  unto  you,  if  ye,  from 


164  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

your  hearts,  torgive  not  every  one  his  brother  their 
trespasses.”  (Matt,  xviii.  35.) 

Not  long  before,  He  had  again  mercifully  given 
us  His  whole  mind  about  the  obligation 
which  every  one  of  His  disciples  had  of  forgiving  : 
‘‘For  if  ye  forgive  men  their  trespasses,  your 
i Heavenly  Father  'will  also  forgive  you  ; but  if  ye 
I forgive  men  not  their  trespasses,  neither  will  your 
I Father  forgive  your  trespasses.”  (Matt.  vi.  14,  15.) 

“ Be  ye  therefore  merciful  as  your  Father  also  is 
merciful ; forgive  and  ye  shall  be  forgiven.”  (Luke 
vi.  36,  37.) 

Auricular  Confession,  as  the  Rev.  Dr.  Wain- 
wright  has  so  eloquently  put  it  in  his  “ Confession 
not  Auricular,”  is  a diabolical  caricature  of  the 
forgiveness  ot  sin  through  the  blood  of  Christ,  just 
as  the  impious  dogma  of  Transubstantiation  is  a 
monstrous  caricature  of  the  salvation  of  the  world 
through  His  death. 

The  Romanists,  and  their  ugly  tail,  the  Ritual- 
istic party  in  the  Episcopal  Church,  make  a great 
noise  about  the  words  of  our  Saviour,  in  St.  John  : 
“ Whatsoever  sins  ye  remit,  they  are  remitted  unto 
them  : and  whatsoever  sins  ye  retaiu,  they  are  re- 
tained.” (John  XX.  23.) 

But  again,  our  Saviour  had  Himself,  once  for  all, 
explained  what  He  meant  by  forgiving  and  retain- 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  165 


in^  sins — Matt,  xviii.  35 ; Matt.  vi.  14,  15 ; Luke 
vi.  36,  37. 

Nobody  but  wilfully-blind  men  could  misunder^ 
stand  Him.  Besides  that,  the  Holy  Ghost  Him- 
self has  mercifully  taken  care  that  we  should  not 
be  deceived  by  the  lying  traditions  of  men,  on  that 
important  subject,  when  in  St.  Luke  He  gave  us 
the  explanation  of  the  meaning  of  John  xx.  23,  by 
telling  us,  “ Thus  it  behoved  Christ  to  suffer,  and 
to  rise  from  the  dead  the  third  day : and  that  re- 
p^ntance  and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached 
in  His  name  among  all  nations,  beginning  at  Jeru- 
salem.” (Luke  xxiv.  46,  47.) 

In  order  that  we  may  better  understand  the 
words  of  our  Saviour  in  St.  John  xx.  23,  let  us  put 
them  face  to  face  with  His  own  explanations  (Luke 
xxiv.  46,  47). 


LUKE  XXIV. 

33.  And  they  rose  up  the 
same  hour  and  returned  to  Je- 
rusalem and  found  the  eleven 
gathered  together,  and  them 
that  were  with  them. 

34.  Saying,  the  Lord  is  risen 

indeed,  and  hath  appeared  to 
Simon 

36.  And  as  they  thus  spake, 
Jesus  himself  stood  in  the 
midst  of  them,  and  said  unto 
them.  Peace  be  unto  you. 


JOHN  XX. 

18.  Mary  Magdalene  came 
and  told  the  disciples  that  she 
had  seen  the  Lord,  and  that 
he  had  spoken  these  things 
unto  her. 


19.  Then  the  same  day  at 
evening,  being  the  first  day  ol 
the  week,  when  the  doors 
were  shut  where  the  disciples 


166  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAJ^  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 


37.  But  they  were  terrified 
and  affrighted,  and  supposed 
that  they  had  seen  a spirit. 

38.  And  he  said  unto  them, 
Why  are  ye  troubled?  and 
why  do  thoughts  arise  in  your 
hearts  ? 

39.  Behold  my  hands  and 
my  feet,  that  it  is  I myself: 
handle  me,  and  see;  for  a 
-spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones 
as  ye  see  me  have. 

40.  And  when  he  had  thus 
spoken,  he  showed  them  his 
hands  and  his  feet. 

41.  And  while  they  yet  be- 
lieved not  for  joy,  and  won- 
dered, he  said  unto  them, 
Have  ye  here  any  meat? 

42.  And  they  gave  him  a 
piece  of  a broiled  fish,  and  of 
ap  honeycomb. 

43.  And  he  took  it,  and  did 
eat  before  them. 

44.  And  he  said  unto  them. 
These  are  the  words  which  I 
spoke  unto  you,  while  I was 
yet  with  you,  that  all  things 
must  be  fulfilled,  which  were 
written  in  the  law  of  Moses, 
and  in  the  prophets,  and  in 
the  psalms  concerning  me. 

45.  Then  opened  he  their 
understanding,  that  they  might 
understand  the  Scriptures, 

46.  And  said  unto  them, 
Thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  it 
behoved  Christ  to  suffer,  and 
to  rise  from  the  dead  the  third 
day. 


were  assembled,  for  fear  of  the 
Jews,  came  Jesus  and  stood  in 
the  midst,  and  saith  unta 
them,  Peace  be  unto  you. 


20.  And  when  he  had  so 
said,  he  shewed  unto  them  his 
hands  and  his  side.  Then 
were  the  disciples  glad,  when 
they  saw  the  Lord. 


21.  Then  said  Jesus  to  them 
again.  Peace  be  unto  you:  as 
my  Father  hath  sent  me,  even 
so  send  I you. 


22.  And  when  he  had  said 
this,  he  breathed  on  them, 
and  saith  unto  them.  Receive 
ye  the  Holy  Ghost: 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  167 

47.  And  that  repentance  and  23.  Whose  soever  sins  ye 

remission  of  sins  should  be  remit,  they  are  remitted  unto 
preached  in  his  name  among  them ; whose  soever  sins  ye 
all  nations,  beginning  at  Jeru-  retain,  they  are  retained. 
Salem. 

Three  things  are  evident  from  comparing  the 
report  of  St.  John  and  St.  Luke : — 

1.  They  speak  of  the  same  event,  though  one  of 
them  gives  certain  details  omitted  by  the  other,  as 
we  find  in  the  rest  of  tlie  gospels. 

The  words  of  St.  John,  Whose  soever  sins 
ye  remit,  they  are  remitted  unto  them ; and  whose 
soever  sins  ye  retain,  they  are  retained,”  are  ex- 
plained by  the  Holy  Ghost  Himself,  in  St.  Luke, 
as  meaning  that  the  apostles  shall  preach  repent- 
ance and  forgiveness  of  sins  through  Christ.  It  is 
just  what  our  Saviour  has  Himself  said  in  St. 
Matthew  ix.  13 : But  go  ye  and  learn  what  that 

meaneth,  I will  have  mercy,  and  not  sacrifice : for 
I am  not  come  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to 
repentance.” 

It  is  just  the  same  doctrine  taught  by  Peter 
(Acts  ii.  38):  ^‘Then  Peter  said  ento  them,  Ee- 

pent,  and  be  baptised  every  one  of  you  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye 
shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.” 

Just  the  same  doctrine  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins, 
not  through  auricular  confession  or  absolution,  hv^ 


168  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

through  the  preaching  of  the  Word : ^‘Be  it  known 
unto  you  tlierefore,  men  and  brethren,  that  through 
this  man  is  preached  unto  you  the  forgiveness  ol 
sins”  (Acts  xiii.  38). 

3.  The  third  thing  which  is  evident  is  that  the 
apostles  were  not  alone  when  Christ  appeared  and 
spoke,  but  that  several  of  His  other  disciples,  even 
some  women,  were  there. 

If  the  Romanists,  then,  could  prove  that  Christ 
established  auricular  confession,  and  gave  the  power 
of  absolution,  by  what  He  said  in  that  solemn  hour, 
women  as  well  as  men — in  fact,  every  believer  in 
Christ — would  be  authorized  to  hear  confessions 
and  give  absolution.  The  Holy  Ghost  was  not 
promised  or  given  only  to  the  Apostles,  but  to 
every  believer,  as  we  see  in  Acts  i.  15,  and  ii. 
1,  2,  3. 

But  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  as  well  as  the  history 
of  the  first  ten  centuries  of  Christianity,  is  the  wit- 
ness that  auricular  confession  and  absolution  are 
nothing  else  but  a sacrilegious  as  well  as  a most 
stupendous  imposture. 

What  tremendous  efforts  the  priests  of  Rome 
have  made,  these  last  five  centuries,  and  are  still 
making,  to  persuade  their  dupes  that  the  Son  of 
God  was  making  of  them  a privileged  caste,  a caste 
endowed  with  the  Divine  and  exclusive  power  of 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  169 

opening  and  shutting  the  gates  of  Heaven,  when 
He  said,  ‘‘Whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth, 
shall  be  bound  in  Heaven ; and  whatsoever  ye  shall 
loose  on  earth  shall  be  loosed  in  Heaven.” 

But  our  adorable  Saviour,  who  perfectly  foresaw 
those  diabolical  efforts  on  the  part  of  the  priests  of 
Rome,  entirely  upset  every  vestige  of  their  founda- 
tion by  saying  immediately,  “Again  I say  untoi 
you.  That  if  two  of  you  shall  agree  on  earth  as 
touching  any  thing  that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be 
done  for  them  of  my  Father  which  is  in  Heaven. 
For  where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in 
My  name,  there  am  I in  the  midst  of  them  ” (Matt, 
xviii.  19,  20.) 

Would  the  priests  of  Rome  attempt  to  make  us 
believe  that  these  words  of  the  19th  and  20th  verses 
are  addressed  to  them  exclusively?  They  have  not 
yet  dared  to  say  it.  They  confess  that  these  words 
are  addressed  to  all  His  disciples.  But  our  Saviour 
positively  says  that  the  other  words,  implicating 
the  so-called  power  of  the  priests  to  hear  the  con- 
fession and  give  the  absolution,  are  addressed  to 
the  very  same  jper sons — “ I say  unto  you,”  &c.,  &c. 
The  you  of  the  19th  and  20th  verses  is  the  same 
you  of  the  18th.  The  power  of  loosing  and  un- 
loosing is,  then,  given  to  all — those  who  would  be 
offended  and  would  forgive.  Tlien,  our  Saviour 


170  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

had  not  in  His  mind  to  form  a caste  of  men  with 
any  marvellous  power  over  the  rest  of  His  disci- 
ples. The  priests  of  Rome,  then,  are  impostors, 
and  nothing  else,  when  they  say  that  the  power  of 
loosing  and  unloosing  sins  was  exclusively  granted 
to  them. 

Instead  of  going  to  the  confessor,  let  the  Chris- 
tian go  to  his  merciful  God,  through  Christ,  and 
say,  ‘‘Forgive  us  our  trespasses  as  we  forgive 
them  that  trespass  against  us.”  This  is  the  Truth, 
not  as  it  comes  from  the  Vatican,  but  as  it  comes 
from  Calvary,  where  our  debts  were  paid,  with  the 
only  condition  that  we  should  believe,  repent  and 
love. 

Have  not  the  Popes  publicly  and  repeatedly 
anathematized  the  sacred  principle  of  Liberty  of 
Conscience?  Have  they  not  boldly  said,  in  the 
teeth  of  the  nations  of  Europe,  that  Liberty  of 
Conscience  must  be  destroyed — killed  at  any  cost? 
Has  not  the  whole  world  heard  the  sentence  of 
death  to  liberty  coming  from  the  lips  of  the  old 
man  of  the  Vatican  ? But  where  is  the  scaffold  on 
which  the  doomed  Liberty  must  perish  ? That 
scaffold  is  the  confessional-box.  Yes,  in  the  con- 
fessional, the  Pope  has  his  100,000  high  execu- 
tioners ! There  they  are,  day  and  night,  with  sharp 
daggers  in  hand,  stabbing  Liberty  to  the  heart. 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  171 

In  vain  will  noble  France  expel  lier  old  tyrants 
in  order  to  be  free ; in  vain  will  she  shed  tlie  pur- 
est blood  of  her  heart  to  protect  and  save  liberty ! 
True  liberty  cannot  live  a day  there  so  long  as  the 
executioners  of  the  Pope  are  free  to  stab  her  on 
their  100,000  scaffolds. 

In  vain  chivalrous  Spain  will  call  Liberty  to  give 
a new  life  to  her  people.  Liberty  cannot  set  her 
feet  there,  except  to  die,  so  long  as  the  Pope  is 
allowed  to  strike  her  in  his  50,000  confessionals. 

And  free  America,  too,  will  see  all  her  so  dearly^ 
bought  liberties  destroyed,  the  day  that  the  con- 
fessional-box is  universally  reared  in  her  midst. 

Auricular  Confession  and  Liberty  cannot  stand 
together  on  the  same  ground  ; either  one  or  the 
other  must  fall. 

Liberty  must  sweep  away  the  confessional,  as  she 
has  swept  away  the  demon  of  slavery,  or  she  is 
doomed  to  perish. 

Can  a man  be  free  in  his  own  house,  so  long  as 
there  is  another  who  has  the  legal  right  to  spy  all 
his  actions,  and  direct  not  only  every  step,  but 
every  thought  of  his  wife  and  children?  Can  that 
man  boast  of  a home  whose  wife  and  children  are 
under  the  control  of  another  ? Is  not  that  unfor- 
tunate man  really  the  slave  of  the  ruler  and  mas- 
ter of  his  household  ? And  when  a whole  nation 


1Y2  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

is  composed  of  such  husbands  and  fathers,  is  it  not 
a nation  of  abject,  degraded  slaves  ? 

To  a thinking  man,  one  of  the  most  strange 
phenomena  is  that  our  modern  nations  allow  their 
most  sacred  rights  to  be  trampled  under  foot,  and 
destroyed  by  the  Papacy,  the  sworn  enemy  of  Lib- 
erty, through  a mistaken  respect  and  love  for  that 
same  Liberty ! 

j No  people  have  more  respect  for  Liberty  of  Com 

' science  than  the  Americans  ; but  has  the  noble 
State  of  Illinois  allowed  Joe  Smith  and  Brigham 
Young  to  degrade  and  enslave  the  American  wom- 
en under  the  pretext  of  Liberty  of  Conscience,, 
appealed  to  by  the  so-called  Latter-day  Saints  ? 
No ! The  ground  was  soon  made  too  hot  for  the 
tender  conscience  of  the  modern  prophets.  Joe 
Smith  perished  when  attempting  to  keep  his  cap- 
tive wives  in  his  chains,  and  Brigham  Young  had 
to  fly  to  the  solitudes  of  the  Far  West,  to  enjoy 
what  he  called  his  liberty  of  conscience  with  the 
thirty  women  whom  he  had  degraded,  and  en- 
chained under  his  yoke.  But  even  in  that  remote 
solitude  the  false  prophet  has  heard  the  distant 
peals  of  the  roaring  thunder.  The  threatened  voice 
of  the  great  Republic  has  troubled  his  rest,  and 
before  his  death  he  wisely  spoke  of  going  as  much 
as  possible  out  of  the  reach  of  Christian  civilisation^ 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  173 


before  the  dark  and  threatening  clouds  which  he 
saw  on  the  horizon  would  hurl  upon  him  their  ir- 
resistible storms. 

Will  any  one  blame  the  American  people  for  so 
going  to  the  rescue  of  women  ? No,  surely  not. 

/ j But  what  is  this  confessional  box  ? Nothing  but 
/ a citadel  and  stronghold  of  Mormonism. 

What  is  this  Father  Confessor,  with  few  except 
tions,  but  a lucky  Brigham  Young? 

I do  not  want  to  be  believed  on  my  ipse  dixit. 
What  I ask  from  serious  thinkers  is,  that  they 
should  read  the  encyclicals  of  the  Piuses,  the 
Gregorys,  the  Benoits,  and  many  other  Popes, 
^‘De  Sollicitantibus.”  There  they  will  see,  with 
their  own  eyes,  that,  as  a general  thing,  the  con- 
fessor has  more  women  to  serve  him  than  the  Mor- 
mon prophets  ever  had.  Let  him  read  the  memoirs 
of  one  of  the  most  venerable  men  of  the  Church  of 
Rome,  Bishop  Scipio  de  Ricci,  and  they  will  see, 
with  their  own  eyes,  that  the  confessors  are  more 
free  with  their  penitents,  even  nuns,  than  husbands 
are  with  their  wives.  Let  them  hear  the  testimony 
of  one  of  the  noblest  princesses  of  Italy,  Henrietta 
Carracciolo,  who  still  lives,  and  they  will  know 
\that  the  Mormons  have  more  respect  for  women 
; jthan  the  greater  part  of  the  confessors  have.  Let 
them  read  the  personal  experience  of  Miss  O’Gor- 


174  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

man,  five  years  a nun  in  the  United  States,  and 
they  will  understand  that  the  priests  and  their  fe- 
male penitents,  even  nuns,  are  outraging  all  the 
laws  of  God  and  man,  through  the  dark  mysteries 
of  auricular  confession.  That  Miss  O’Gorman,  as 
well  as  Miss  Henrietta  Carracciolo,  are  still  living. 
Why  are  they  not  consul  tea  by  those  who  like  to 
know  the  truth,  and  who  fear  that  we  exaggerate 
the  pnfamies  which  come  from  auricular  confes- 
sion” as  from  their  infallible  source?  Let  them 
hear  the  lamentations  of  Cardinal  Baronins,  St. 
Bernard,  Savanarola,  Pius,  Gregory,  St.  TlieresOy 
St.  Liguori,  on  the  unspeakable  and  irreparable 
ruin  spread  ajl  along  the  ways  and  all  over  the 
countries  haunted  by  the  Pope’s  confessors,  and 
they  will  know  that  the  confessional-box  is  the  daily 
witness  of  abominations  which  would  hardly  have 
been  tolerated  in  the  lands  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah. 
Let  the  legislators,  the  fathers  and  husbands  of 
every  nation  and  tongue,  interrogate  Father  Gav- 
azzi,  Grassi,  and  thousands  of  living  priests  who, 
like  myself,  have  miraculously  been  taken  out  from 
that  Egyptian  servitude  to  the  promised  land,  and 
they  will  tell  you  the  same  old,  old  story — that  the 
confessional-box  is  for  the  greatest  part  of  the  coir 
fessors  and  female  penitents,  areal  pit  ofperdition^ 
into  which  they  promiscuously  fall  and  ])erisb 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  175 

Yes  ; they  will  tell  you  that  the  soul  and  heart  of 
your  wife  and  daughter  are  purified  by  the  magical 
words  of  the  confessional,  just  as  the  souls  of  the 
poor  idolaters  of  Hindoostan  are  purified  by  the 
tail  of  the  cow  which  they  hold  in  their  hands,  when 
\ they  die.  Study  the  pages  of  the  past  history  of 
England,  France,  Italy,  Spain,  &c.,  &c.,  and  you 
will  see  that  the  gravest  and  most  reliable  histor- 
ians have,  everywhere,  found  mysteries  of  iniquity  in 
, the  confessional-box  which  their  pen  refused  to  trace. 

In  the  presence  of  such  public,  undeniable,  and 
lamentable  facts,  have  not  the  civilised  nations  a 
duty  to  perform?  Is.it  not  time  that  the  children 
of  light,  the  true  disciples  of  the  Gospel,  all  over  the 
world,  should  rally  round  the  banners  of  Christ,  and 
go,  shoulder  to  shoulder,  to  the  rescue  of  women? 

Woman  is  to  society  what  the  roots  are  to  the 
most  precious  trees  of  your  orchard.  If  you  knew* 
that  a thousand  worms  are  biting  the  roots  of  those 
noble  trees,  that  their  leaves  are  already  fading 
away,  their  rich  fruits,  though  yet  unripe,  are  fall- 
ing on  the  ground,  would  you  not  unearth  the  roots 
and  sweep  away  the  worms  ? 

The  confessor  is  the  worm  which  is  biting,  pol- 
luting, and  destroying  the  very  roots  of  civil  and 
religious  society,  by  contaminating,  debasing,  and 
enslaving  woman. 


176  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

Before  the  nations  can  see  the  reign  of  peace^ 
happiness,  and  liberty,  which  Christ  has  promised, 
they  must,  like  the  Israelites,  pull  down  the  walls 
of  Jericho.  The  confessional  is  the  modern  Jen 
icho,  which  defiantly  dares  the  children  of  God  ! 

Let,  then,  the  people  of  the  Lord,  the  true 
soldiers  of  Christ,  rise  up  and  rally  around  His 
banners  ; and  let  them  fearlessly  march,  shoulder 
to  shoulder,  on  the  doomed  city : let  all  the  trum' 
pets  of  Israel  be  sounded  around  its  walls:  let 
fervent  prayers  go  to  the  throne  of  Mercy,  from  the 
heart  of  every  one  for  whom  the  Lamb  has  been 
slain : let  such  a unanimous  cry  of  indignation  be 
heard,  through  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land, 
against  that  greatest  and  most  monstrous  imposture 
of  modern  times,  that  the  earth  will  tremble  under 
the  feet  of  the  confessor,  so  that  his  very  knees  will 
shake,  and  soon  the  walls  of  Jericho  will  fall,  the 
confessional  will  disappear,  and  its  unspeakable 
pollutions  will  no  more  imperil  the  very  existence 
of  society. 

Then  the  multitudes  who  were  kept  captive  will 
come  to  the  Lamb,  who  will  make  them  pure  with 
His  blood  and  free  with  His  word. 

Then  the  redeemed  nations  will  sing  a song  of 
joy:  ‘‘Babylon,  the  great,  the  mother  of  harlots 

and  abominations  of  the  earth,  is  fallen  ! is  fallen!” 


CHAPTEK  YIII. 


DOES  AURICULAR  CONFESSION  BRING  PEACE  TO 
THE  SOUL  ? 

HE  connecting  of  Peace  with  Auricular  Con 


fession  is  surely  the  most  cruel  sarcasm  ever 
uttered  in  human  language. 

It  would  be  less  ridiculous  and  false  to  admire 
the  calmness  of  the  sea,  and  the  stillness  of  the 
atmosphere,  when  a furious  storm  raises  the  foam- 
ing waves  to  the  sky,  than  to  speak  of  the  Peace 
of  the  soul  either  during  or  after  the  confession. 

I know  it ; the  confessors  and  their  dupes  chorus 
avery  tune  by  crying  Peace,  peace!”  But  the 
God  of  truth  and  holiness  answers,  ‘‘There  is  no 
peace  for  the  wicked ! ” 

The  fact  is,  that  no  hu  nan  words  can  adequately 
express  the  anxieties  of  the  soul  before  confession, 
its  unspeakable  confusion  in  the  act  of  confessing, 
or  its  deadly  terrors  after  confession. 

Let  those  who  have  never  drunk  of  the  bitter 
waters  which  flow  froi^i  t,he  confessional  box,  read 


178  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

the  following  plan  and  correct  recital  of  my  own 
first  experience  in  auricular  confession.  They  are 
nothing  less  than  the  history  of  what  nine-tenths 
of  the  penitents*  of  Rome,  old  and  young,  are  sub- 
ject to;  and  they  will  know  what  to  think  of  that 
marvelous  Peace  about  which  Romanists,  and  their 
silly  copyists,  the  Ritualists,  have  written  so  many 
eloquent  lies. 

In  the  year  1819,  my  parents  had  sent  me  from 
Murray  Bay  (Xa  Mai  Baie),  where  they  lived,  to 
an  excellent  school  at  St.  Thomas.  I was  then 
about  nine  years  old.  I boarded  with  an  uncle^ 
who,  though  a nominal  Roman  Catholic,  did  not 
believe  a word  of  what  his  priest  preached.  But 
my  aunt  had  the  reputation  of  being  a very  devot- 
ed woman.  Our  schoolmaster,  Mr.  John  Jones, 
was  a well-educated  Englishman,  and  a staunch 
PROTESTANT.  This  last  circumstance  had  ex- 
cited the  wratli  of  the  Roman  Catholic  priest 
against  the  teacher  and  his  numerous  pupils  to  such 
an  extent,  that  they  were  often  denounced  from  the 
pulpit  with  very  hard  words.  But  if  he  did  not 
like  us,  I must  admit  that  we  were  paying  him  with 
his  own  coin. 

But  let  us  come  to  my  first  lessen  in  Auricular 

*By  the  word  J>enite?its^  Rome  means  not  those  who  repent^ 
but  those  who  confess  to  the  priest. 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  179’ 

Confession.  No  ! No  words  can  express  to  those 
who  have  never  had  any  experience  in  the  matter, 
the  consternation,  anxiety  and  shame  of  a poor 
Romish  child,  when  he  hears  his  priest  saying  from 
the  pulpit,  in  a grave  and  solemn  tone:  ‘‘This 

week  you  will  send  your  children  to  confession. 
Make  them  understand  that  this  action  is  one  of 
the  most  important  of  their  lives,  that  for  every 
one  of  them  it  will  decide  their  eternal  happiness 
or  ruin.  Fathers,  mothers  and  guardians  of  those 
children,  if,  through  your  fault  or  theirs,  your  chil- 
dren are  guilty  of  a false  confession  : if  they  do  not 
confess  everything  to  the  priest  who  holds  the  place 
of  God  Himself,  this  sin  is  often  irreparable  : the 
devil  will  take  possession  of  their  hearts,  they  will 
lie  to  their  father  confessor,  or  rather  to  Jesus 
Christ,  of  whom  he  is  the  representative  : their 
lives  will  be  a series  of  sacrileges,  their  death  and 
eternity  those  of  reprobates.  Teach  them,  there- 
fore, to  examine  thoroughly  all  their  actions,  words,, 
thoughts  and  desires,  in  order  to  confess  every- 
thing just  as  it  occurred,  without  any  disguise.” 

I was  in  the  Church  of  St.  Thomas,  when  these 
words  fell  upon  me  like  a thunderbolt.  I had  often 
heard  my  mother  say,  when  at  home,  and  my  aunt,, 
since  I had  come  to  St.  Thomas,  that  upon  the  first 
confession  depended  my  eternal  happiness  or  mis- 


180  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

ery.  That  week  was,  therefore,  to  decide  the  vital 
question  of  my  eternity ! 

Pale  and  dismayed,  I left  the  Church  after  the 
service,  and  returned  to  the  house  of  my  relations. 
I took  my  place  at  the  table,  but  could  not  eat,  so 
much  was  I troubled.  I went  to  my  room  for  the 
purpose  of  commencing  my  examination  of  con- 
science, and  to  try  to  recall  every  one  of  my  sinful 
actions,  thoughts  and  words  ! 

Although  scarcely  over  nine  years  of  age,  this 
task  was  really  overwhelming  to  me.  I knelt 
down  to  pray  to  the  Virgin  Mary  for  help,  but  I 
was  so  much  taken  up  with  the  fear  of  forgetting 
something  or  making  a bad  confession,  that  I mut- 
tered my  prayers  without  the  least  attention  to 
what  I said.  It  became  still  worse,  when  I coup 
menced  counting  my  sins ; my  memory,  though 
very  good,  became  confused  ; my  head  grew  dizzy  ; 
my  heart  beat  with  a rapidity  which  exhausted  me, 
my  brow  was  covered  with  perspiration.  After  a 
considerable  length  of  time  spent  in  these  painful 
efforts,  I felt  bordering  on  despair  from  the  fear 
that  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  remember  exactly 
everything,  and  to  confess  each  sin  as  it  occurred. 
Tlie  night  following  was  almost  a sleepless  one ; 
and  when  sleep  did  come,  it  could  hardly  be  called 
sleep,  but  a suffocating  delirium.  In  a frightful 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  181 

dream,  I felt  as  if  I had  been  cast  into  hell,  for  not 
having  confessed  all  my  sins  to  the  priest.  In  the 
morning  I awoke  fatigued  and  prostrate  by  the 
phantoms  and  emotions  of  that  terrible  night.  In 
similar  troubles  of  mind  were  passed  the  three 
days  which  preceded  my  first  confession. 

I had  constantly  before  me  the  countenance  of 
that  stern  priest  who  had  never  smiled  on  me.  He 
was  present  to  my  thoughts  during  the  days,  and  in 
my  dreams  during  the  nights,  as  the  minister  of  an 
angry  ^God,  justly  irritated  against  me  on  account 
of  my  sins.  Forgiveness  had  indeed  been  prom- 
ised to  me,  on  condition  of  a good  confession  ; but 
my  place  had  also  been  shown  to  me  in  hell,  if  my 
confession  was  not  as  near  perfection  as  possible. 

Now,  my  troubled  conscience  told  me  that  there 
were  ninety  chances  against  one  that  my  confession 
would  be  bad,  either  if  by  my  own  fault,  I forgot 
some  sins,  or  if  I was  without  that  contrition  of 
which  I had  heard  so  much,  but  the  nature  and 
effects  of  which  were  a perfect  chaos  in  my  mind. 

At  length  came  the  day  of  my  confession,  or 
rather  of  judgment  and  condemnation.  I presented 
myself  to  the  priest,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Beaubien. 

He  bad,  then,  the  defects  of  lisping  or  stammer- 
ing, which  we  often  turned  into  ridicule.  And,  as 
nature  had  unfortunately  endowed  me  with  admir- 


182  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

:able  powers  as  a mimic,  the  infirmities  of  this  poor 
priest  afforded  only  too  good  an  opportunity  for 
the  exercise  of  my  talent.  Not  only  was  it  one  of 
my  favorite  amusements  to  imitate  him  before  the 
pupils  amidst  roars  of  laughter,  but  also,  I preached 
portions  of  his  sermons  before  his  parishioners  with 
similar  results.  Indeed,  many  of  them  came  from 
considerable  distances  to  enjoy  the  opportunity  of 
listening  to  me,  and  they,  more  than  once,  rewarded 
me  with  cakes  of  maple  sugar,  for  my  perform- 
ances. 

These  acts  of  mimicry  were,  of  course,  among 
my  sins ; and  it  became  necessary  for  me  to  ex- 
amine myself  upon  the  number  of  times  I had 
mocked  the  priests.  This  circumstance  was  not 
calculated  to  make  my  confession  easier  or  more 
agreeable. 

At  last,  the  dread  moment  arrived,  I knelt  for 
the  first  time  at  the  side  of  my  confessor,  but  my 
whole  frame  trembled  : I repeated  the  prayer  pre- 
paratory to  confession,  scarcely  knowing  what  I 
said,  so  much  was  I troubled  by  fears. 

By  the  instructions  which  had  been  given  us 
before  confession,  we  had  been  made  to  believe 
that  the  priest  was  the  true  representative,  yea, 
almost  the  personification  of  Jesus  Christ.  The 
•consequence  was  that  I believed  my  greatest  sin 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  183 

was  that  of  mocking  the  priest — and  I,  as  I had 
been  told  that  it  was  proper  first  to  confess  the 
greatest  sins,  I commenced  thus:  ‘^Father,  I ac- 
cuse myself  of  having  mocked  a priest !” 

Hardly  had  I uttered  these  words,  mocked  a 
priest,-’  when  this  pretended  representative  of  the 
humble  Jesu^,  turning  towards  me,  and  looking  in 
my  face,  in  order  to  know  me  better,  asked  abrubt- 
ly  : What  priest  did  you  mock,  my  boy  ?” 

I would  have  rather  chosen  to  cut  out  my  tongue 
than  to  tell  him,  to  his  face,  who  it  was.  I,  there- 
fore, kept  silent  for  a while  ; but  my  silence  made 
him  very  nervous,  and  almost  angry.  With  a 
haughty  tone  of  voice,  he  said  : What  priest  did 

you  take  the  liberty  of  thus  mocking,  my  boy  ? ” 
1 saw  that  I had  to  answer.  Happily,  his  haught' 
iness  had  made  me  bolder  and  firmer  ; I said : 
‘^Sir,  you  are  the  priest  whom  I mocked  ! ” 

^‘But  how  many  times  did  you  take  upon  your- 
self to  mock  me,  my  boy  ? ” asked  he,  angrily. 

‘‘  I tried  to  find  out  the  number  of  times,  but  I 
never  could.” 

‘^You  must  tell  me  how  many  times;  for  to 
mock  one’s  own  priest,  is  a great  sin.” 

‘‘  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  give  you  the  number 
of  times,”  I answered. 

‘‘Well,  my  child,  I will  help  your  memory  by 


184  THE  PKIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

asking  you  questions.  Tell  me  the  truth.  Do  y%j\r 
think  you  mocked  me  ten  times?  ” 

‘‘A  great  many  times  more,”  I answered. 

‘‘  Have  you  mocked  me  fifty  times  ? ” 

Oh  ! many  more  still ! ” 

“ A hundred  times?  ” 

‘‘Say  five  hundred,  and  perhaps  more,”  1 am 
swered. 

“Well,  my  boy,  do  you  spend  all  your  time  in 
mocking  me  ? ” 

“Not  all  my  time;  but,  unfortunately,  I have 
done  it  very  often.” 

“Yes,  you  may  well  say  ‘unfortunately!’  for 
to  mock  your  priest,  who  holds  the  place  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  a great  sin  and  a great  mis- 
fortune for  you.  But  tell  me,  my  little  boy,  what 
reason  have  you  for  mocking  me  thus  ? ” 

In  my  examination  of  conscience,  I had  not  fore- 
seen that  I should  be  obliged  to  give  the  reasons 
for  mocking  the  priest,  and  I was  thunderstruck 
by  his  questions.  I dared  not  answer,  and  I re- 
mained for  a long  time  dumb,  from  the  shame  that 
overpowered  me.  But,  with  a harrassing  persever 
ance,  the  priest  insisted  upon  my  telling  why  I had 
mocked  him  ; assuring  me  that  I would  be  damned 
if  I did  not  speak  the  whole  truth.  So  I decided  to 
speak,  and  said : “I  mocked  you  for  several  things.” 


THE  PKIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  185 

What  made  you  first  mock  me?”  asked  the 
priest. 

“ I laughed  at  you  because  you  lisp:  among  the 
pupils  of  the  school,  and  other  people,  it  often  hap- 
pens that  we  imitate  your  preaching  to  laugh  at 
you,”  I answered. 

‘‘For  what  other  reason  did  you  laugh  at  me,  my 
little  boy  ? ” 

For  a long  time  I was  silent.  Every  time  I 
opened  my  mouth  to  speak,  my  courage  failed  me. 
But  the  priest  continued  to  urge  me ; I said  at  last : 
‘‘It  is  rumored  in  town  that  you  love  the  girls: 
that  you  visit  the  Misses  Richards  almost  every 
night ; and  this  made  us  laugh  often.” 

The  poor  priest  was  evidently  overwhelmed  by 
my  answer,  and  ceased  questioning  me  on  that  sub- 
ject. Changing  the  conversation,  he  said:  “What 
are  your  other  sins?” 

I began  to  confess  them  according  to  the  order 
in  which  they  came  to  my  memory.  But  the  feel- 
ing of  shame  which  overpowered  me,  in  repeating 
all  my  sins  to  that  man,  was  a thousand  times 
greater  than  that  of  having  offended  God.  In 
reality,  this  feeling  of  human  shame,  which  ab- 
sorbed my  thoughts,  nay,  my  whole  being,  left  no 
room  for  any  religious  feeling  at  all,  and  I am 
certain  that  this  is  the  case  with  more  than  the 


186  THE  PRIEST,  WOMA^  A^i>  OONEEfcSIONA^^ 

greater  part  of  those  who  confess  their  sins  to  fhv. 
priest. 

When  I had  confessed  all  the  sins  I could  re- 
member, the  priest  began  to  put  to  me  the  strang- 
est questions  about  matters  upon  which  my  pen 

must  be  silent I replied,  Father,  I do  not 

understand  what  you  ask  me.” 

I question  you,”  he  answered,  on  the  sins  of 
the  sixth  commandment  of  God  (seventh  in  the 
Bible).  Do  confess  all,  my  little  boy,  for  you  will 
go  to  hell,  if,  through  your  fault,  you  omit  any- 
thing.” 

And  thereupon  he  dragged  my  thoughts  into 
regions  of  iniquity  which,  thanks  be  to  God,  had 
hitherto  been  quite  unknown  to  me. 

I answered  him  again,  ‘‘I  do  not  understand 
you,”  or  ‘‘I  have  never  done  those  wicked  things.  ” 

Then,  skilfully  shifting  to  some  secondary  mat- 
ters, he  would  soon  slyly  and  cunningly  come  back  to 
his  favorite  subject,  namely,  sins  of  licentiousness. 

His  questions  were  so  unclean  that  I blushed, 
and  felt  nauseated  with  disgust  and  shame.  More 
than  once,  I had  been,  to  my  great  regret,  in  the 
company  of  bad  boys,  but  not  one  of  them  had 
offended  my  moral  nature  so  much  as  this  priest 
had  done.  Isot  one  of  them  had  ever  approaclied 
the  shadow  of  the  things  from  which  that  man  tore 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  1S7 


the  veil,  and  which  he  placed  before  the  eyes  of 
my  soul.  Ill  vain  I told  him  that  I was  not  guilty 
of  those  things;  that  I did  not  even  understand 
^vhat  he  asked  me;  but  he  would  not  let  me  off. 

Like  a vulture  bent  upon  tearing  the  poor  de- 
fenceless bird  that  falls  into  its  claws,  that  cruel 
priest  seemed  determined  to  ruin  and  defile  my 
heart. 

At  last  he  asked  me  a question  in  a form  of  ex- 
pression so  bad,  that  I was  really  pained  and  put 
beside  myself.  I felt  as  if  I had  received  the  shock 
from  an  electric  battery:  a feeling  of  horror  made 
me  shudder.  I was  filled  with  such  indignation 
that,  speaking  loud  enough  to  be  heard  by  manj^, 
I told  him:  Sir,  I am  very  wicked,  but  I was 

never  guilty  of  what  you  mention  to  me:  please 
don’t  ask  me  any  more  of  those  qustions,  which 
will  teach  me  more  wickedness  than  I ever  knew.” 

The  remainder  of  my  confession  was  short.  The 
stern  rebuke  I had  given  him  had  evidently  made 
the  priest  blush,  if  it  had  not  frightened  him.  He 
stopped  short,  and  gave  me  some  very  good  advice, 
which  might  have  done  me  good,  if  the  deep 
wounds  which  his  questions  had  inflicted  upon  my 
soul,  had  not  so  absorbed  my  thoughts  as  to  pre- 
vent me  giving  attention  to  what  he  said.  He 
gave  me  a snort  penance  and  dismissed  mw 


188  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

I left  the  confessional  irritated  and  confused. 
From  the  sha  me  of  what  I had  just  heard,  I dared 
not  raise  my  eyes  from  the  ground.  I went  into 
a corner  of  the  church  to  do  my  penance,  that  is  to 
recite  the  prayers  which  he  had  indicated  to  me. 
I remained  for  a long  time  in  the  church.  1 had 
need  of  calm,  after  the  terrible  trial  through 
which  I had  just  passed.  But  vainly  I sought  for 
rest.  The  shameful  questions  which  had  just  been 
asked  me;  the  new  world  of  iniquity  into  which  I 
had  been  introduced;  the  impure  phantoms  by 
which  my  childish  head  had  been  defiled,  confused 
and  troubled  my  mind  so  much,  that  I began  to 
weep  bitterly. 

I left  the  church  only  when  forced  to  do  so  by 
the  shades  of  night,  and  came  back  to  my  uncle’s 
house  with  a feeling  of  shame  and  uneasiness,  as 
if  I had  done  a bad  action  and  feared  lest  I should 
be  detected.  My  trouble  was  much  increased  when 
my  uncle  jestingly  said:  Novr  that  you  have  been 

to  confess,  you  will  be  a good  boy.  But  if  you  are 
not  a better  boy,  you  will  be  a more  learned  one, 
if  your  confessor  has  taught  you  what  mine  did 
when  I confessed  for  the  first  time.” 

I blushed  and  remained  silent.  My  aunt  said: 
You  must  feel  happy,  now  that  you  have  made 
your  confession:  do  you  not?” 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  189 

I gave  an  evasive  answer,  but  could  not  entirely 
^onceal  the  confusion  which  overwhelmed  me.  I 
went  to  bed  early;  but  I could  hardly  sleep. 

I thought  I was  the  only  boy  whom  the  priest 
had  asked  these  polluting  questions;  but  great  was 
my  confusion,  when,  on  going  to  school  the  next 
day,  I learned  that  my  companions  had  not  been 
happier  than  I had  been.  The  only  difference  was 
that,  instead  of  being  grieved  as  I was,  they 
laughed  at  it. 

^‘Did  the  priest  ask  you  this  and  that,”  they 
would  demand,  laughing  boisterously;  I refused 
to  reply,  and  said:  Are  you  not  ashamed  to  speak 

of  these  things?  ” 

^^Ah!  ah!  how  scrupulous  you  are,”  continued 
they,  ^^if  it  is  not  a sin  for  the  priest  to  speak  to  us 
on  these  matters,  how  can  it  be  a sin  for  us  to 
laugh  at  it.”  I felt  confounded,  not  knowing  what 
to  answer.  But  my  contusion  increased  not  a lit- 
tle when,  soon  after,  I perceived  that  the  young 
girls  of  the  school  had  not  been  less  polluted  or 
scandalized  than  the  boys.  Although  keeping  at 
a sufficient  distance  from  us  to  prevent  us  from  un- 
derstanding everything  they  had  to  say  on  their 
confessional  experience,  those  girls  were  sufficient- 
ly near  to  let  us  hear  many  things  which  it  would 
have  been  better  for  us  not  to  know.  Some  of 


190  THE  PRIEST,  W MAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

them  seemed  thoughtful,  sad,  and  shameful;  but 
some  of  them  laughed  heartily  at  what  they  had 
leared  in  the  confessional-box. 

I was  very  indignant  against  the  priest;  and 
thought  in  myself  that  he  was  a very  wicked  man 
for  having  put  to  us  such  repelling  questions.  But 
I was  wrong.  That  priest  was  honest;  he  was 
only  doing  his  duty,  as  I h^ve  known  since,  when 
studying  the  theologians  of  Rome.  The  Rev.  Mi\ 
Beaubien  was  a real  gentleman;  and  if  he  had 
been  free  to  follow  the  dictates  of  his  honest  con- 
science, it  is  my  strong  conviction,  he  would  never 
have  sullied  our  young  hearts  with  such  impure 
ideas.  But  what  has  the  honest  conscience  of  a 
priest  to  do  in  the  confessional,  except  to  be  silent 
and  dumb;  the  priest  of  Rome  is  an  automaton,, 
tied  to  the  feet  of  the  Pope  by  an  iron  chain.  He 
can  move,  go  right  or  left,  up  or  down;  he  can 
think  and  act,  but  only  at  the  bidding  of  the  in- 
fallible god  of  Rome.  The  priest  knows  the  will 
of  his  modern  divinity  only  through  his  approved 
emissaries,  ambassadors,  and  theologians.  AVith 
shame  on  my  brow,  and  bitter  tears  of  regret  flow- 
ing just  now,  on  my  cheeks,  I confess  that  I have 
had  myself  to  learn  by  heart  those  damning  ques- 
tions, and  put  them  to  the  young  and  the  old,  who 
like  me,  were  fed  with  the  diabolical  doctrines  of 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  191 


the  Church  of  Rome,  in  reference  to  auricular  con- 
fession. 

Some  time  after,  some  people  waylaid  and 
whipped  that  very  same  priest,  when,  during  a 
very  dark  night  he  was  coming  back  from  visiting 
his  fair  young  penitents,  the  Misses  Richards.  And 
the  next  day,  the  conspirators  having  met  at  the 
house  of  Dr.  Stephen  Tache,  to  give  a report  of 
what  they  had  done  to  the  half  secret  society  to 
which  they  belonged,  I was  invited  by  my  young 
friend  Louis  Cazault*  to  conceal  myself  with  him, 
in  an  adjoining  room,  where  we  could  hear  every- 
thing  without  being  seen.  I find  in  the  old  manu- 
scripts of  ^^my  young  years’  recollections”  the 
following  address  of  Mr.  Dubord,  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal merchants  of  St.  Thomas: 

Mr.  President, — I was  not  among  those  who 
gave  to  the  priest  the  expression  of  the  public  feel- 
ings with  the  eloquent  voice  of  the  whip;  but  I 
wish  I had  been;  I w^ould  heartily  have  co-operated 
to  give  that  so  well-deserved  lesson  to  the  father 
confessors  of  Canada;  and  let  me  give  you  my  rea- 
sons for  that. 

^^My  child,  who  is  hardly  twelve  years  old,  w^ent 
to  confess,  as  did  the  other  girls  of  the  village, 

*He  died  many  years  after  when  at  the  head  6^  the  Laval 
Universitv. 


192  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

some  time  ago.  It  was  against  my  will.  I know 
by  my  own  experience,  that  of  all  actions,  confes- 
sion is  the  most  degrading  of  a person’s  life.  I 
can  imagine  nothing  so  well  calculated  to  destroy 
forever  one’s  self-respect,  as  the  modern  invention 
of  the  confessional.  Now,  what  is  a person  with^ 
out  self-respect?  Especially  a woman?  Is  not  all 
forever  lost  without  this? 

In  the  confessional,  everything  is  corruption 
of  the  lowest  grade.  There  the  girls’  thoughts, 
lips,  hearts  and  souls  are  forever  polluted.  Do  I 
need  to  prove  you  this!  No!  for  though  you  have 
long  since  given  up  auricular  confession,  as  below 
the  dignity  of  man,  you  have  not  forgotten  the 
Wessons  of  corruption  which  you  have  received 
from  it‘  Those  lessons  have  remained  on  your 
souls  as  the  scars  left  by  the  red-hot  iron  upon  the 
brow  of  the  slave,  to  be  a perpetual  witness  of  his 
slavery,  to  be  a perpetual  witness  of  his  shame  and 
servitude. 

^‘The  confessional-box  is  the  place  where  our 
wives  and  daughters  learn  things  which  would 
make  the  most  degraded  women  of  our  cities  blush! 

Why  are  all  Roman  Catholic  nations  inferior 
to  nations  belonging  to  Protestantism?  Only  in 
the  confessional  can  the  solution  of  that  problem 
be  found.  And  why  are  Roman  Catholic  nations 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  19S 


degraded  in  proportion  to  their  submission  to  their 
priests?  It  is  because  tlie  more  often  the  indiv- 
iduals composing  those  nations  go  to  confess,  the 
more  rapidly  they  sink  in  the  sphere  of  intelli- 
gence and  morality.  A terrible  example  of  the 
auricular  confession  depravity  has  just  occurred  in 
my  own  family. 

‘‘As  I have  said  a moment  ago,  I was  against 
my  own  daughter  going  to  confession,  but  her  poc^r 
mother,  who  is  under  the  control  of  the  priest, 
earnestly  wanted  her  to  go.  Not  to  have  a disa- 
greeable scene  in  my  house,  I had  to  yield  to  the 
tears  of  my  wife. 

“On  the  following  day  of  the  confession,  they 
believed  I was  absent,  but  I was  in  my  office,  with 
the  door  sufficiently  opened  to  hear  everything 
which  could  be  said  by  my  wife  and  the  child. 
And  the  following  conversation  took  place  : 

“ ‘What  makes  you  so  thoughtful  and  sad,  my 
dear  Lucy,  since  you  went  to  confess  ? It  seems  to 
me  you  should  feel  happier  since  you  had  the  'priv- 
ilege of  confessing  your  sins.’ 

“ My  child  answered  not  a word;  she  remained 
absolutely  silent. 

“After, two  or  three  minutes  of  silence,  I heard 
the  mother  saying:  ‘ Why  do  you  weep,  my  dear 

Lucy  ? are  you  sick  ? ’ 


l&A  ^‘riE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

‘‘  }>ut  no  answer  yet  from  the  child!” 

‘‘  You  may  well  suppose  that  I was  all  attention  : 
I had  my  secret  suspicions  about  the  dreadful  my& 
tery  which  had  taken  place.  My  heart  throbbed 
with  uneasiness  and  anger. 

‘‘  ‘ After  a short  silence,  my  wife  spoke  again  to 
her  child,  but  with  sufficient  firmness  to  decide  her 
to  answer  at  last.  In  a trembling  voice,  she  said  : 
‘^‘Oh!  dear  mamma,  if  you  knew  what  the 
priest  has  asked  me,  and  what  he  said  to  me  when  I 
confessed,  you  would  perhaps  be  as  sad  as  I am.’ 
‘ But  what  can  he  have  said  to  you  ? He  is  a 
holj"  man,  you  must  have  misunderstood  him,  if 
you  think  that  he  has  said  anything  wrong.’ 

‘^My  child  threw  herself  in  her  mother’s  arms, 
and  answered  with  a voice,  half  suffocated  with  her 
sobs : ‘ Do  not  ask  me  to  tell  you  what  tlie  priest 
has  said — it  is  so  shameful  that  I cannot  repeat  it — 
his  words  have  stuck  to  my  heart  as  the  leech  put 
to  the  arm  of  my  little  friend,  the  other  day.’ 

‘What  does  the  priest  think  of  me,  for  having 
put  me  such  questions?’ 

“My  wife  answered:  ‘I  will  go  to  the  priest 
and  will  teach  him  a lesson.  I have  noticed  my- 
self that  he  goes  too  far  when  questioning  old  peo- 
ple, but  I had  the  liope  lie  was  more  prudent  with 
children,  I ask  of  you,  however,  never  to  speak 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  li>6 

of  this  to  anybody,  especially  let  not  your  poor 
father  know  anything  about  it,  for  he  has  little 
enough  of  religion  already,  and  this  would  leare 
him  without  any  at  all.’ 

‘‘I  could  not  refrain  myself  any  longer:  I ab- 
ruptly entered  the  parlor.  My  daughter  threw 
herself  into  my  arms  ; my  wife  screamed  with  ter- 
ror, and  almost  fell  into  a swoon.  I said  to  my 
child : ‘ If  you  love  me,  put  your  hand  on  my 

heart,  and  promise  never  to  go  again  to  confess. 
Fear  God,  my  child,  love  Him,  and  walk  in  His 
presence.  For  His  eyes  see  you  everywhere.  Re- 
member that  He  is  always  ready  to  forgive  and 
bless  you  every  time  you  turn  your  heart  to  Him. 
Never  place  yourself  again  at  the  feet  of  a priest,^ 
to  be  defiled  and  degraded.’ 

‘‘This  my  daughter  promised  to  me. 

“ When  my  wife  had  recovered  from  her  surprise^ 
I said  to  her:  — 

“ ‘Madame,  it  is  long  since  the  priest  became 
everything,  and  your  husband  nothing,  to  you  ! 
There  is  a liidden  and  terrible  power  which  governs 
you ; it  is  the  power  of  the  priest ; this  you  have 
often  denied,  but  it  can  not  be  denied  any  longer ; 
the  Providence  of  God  has  decided  to-day  that  this 
power  should  be  destroyed  forever  in  my  house  ; I 
want  to  be  the  only  ruler  of  my  family ; from  tliis^ 


196  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

moment,  tlie  power  of  the  priest  over  you  is  forevel 
abolished.  Whenever  you  go  and  take  your  heart 
and  your  secrets  to  the  feet  of  the  priest,  be  so  kind 
as  not  to  come  back  any  more  into  my  house  as  my 
wife.’ 

This  is  one  of  the  thousands  of  specimens  of  the 
peace  of  conscience  brought  to  the  soul  through 
auricular  confession.  If  it  were  my  intention  to 
publish  a treatise  on  this  subject,  I could  give 
many  similar  instances,  but  as  I only  desire  to  write 
a short  chapter,  I will  adduce  but  one  other  fact  to 
show  the  awful  deception  practised  by  the  Church 
of  Rome,  when  she  invites  persons  to  come  to  con- 
fession, under  the  pretext  that  peace  to  thve  soul 
will  be  the  reward  of  their  obedience.  Let  us  liear 
the  testimony  of  anotlier  living  and  unimpeachable 
witness,  about  this  peace  of  the  souk  before,  dur- 
ing, and  after  auricular  confession.  In  her  remark- 
able book,  ‘"Personal  Experience  of  Roman  Cath- 
olicism,” Miss  Eliza  Richardson  writes  (pages  34 
and  35) 

“ Thus  I silenced  my  foolish  quibbling,  and  went 
on  to  test  of  a convert’s  fervor  and  sincerity  in  con- 

* This  Miss  Richardson  is  a well-known  Protestant  lady,  in 
England,  who  turned  Romanist,  became  a nun,  and  returned 
to  her  Protestant  church,  after  five  years’  personal  experience 
of  Popery.  She  is  still  living  as  an  unimpeachable  witness  ol 
the  depravity  of  auricular  confession. 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  197 

fession.  And,  here,  was  assuredly  a fresh  source 
of  pain  and  disquiet,  and  one  not  so  easily  van- 
quished. The  theory  had  appeared,  as  a whole, 
fair  and  rational ; but  the  reality,  in  some  of  its 
details,  was  terrible! 

‘^Divested,  for  the  public  gaze,  of  its  darkest 
ingredients,  and  dressed  up,  in  their  theological 
works,  in  false  and  meretricious  pretensions  to  truth 
and  purity,  it  exhibited  a dogma  only  calculated 
to  exact  a beneficial  infiuence  on  mankind,  and  to 
prove  a source  of  morality  and  usefulness.  But 
oh^  as  with  all  ideals^  how  unlike  was  the  actual? 

‘‘Here,  however,  I may  remark,  in  passing,  the 
effect  produced  upon  my  mind  by  the  first  sight  of 
the  older  editions  of  ‘the  Garden  of  the  Soul.’  I 
remember  the  stumbling-block  it  was  to  me ; my 
sense  of  womanly  delicacy  was  shocked.  It  was  a 
dark  page  in  my  experience  when  I first  knelt  at 
the  feet  of  a mortal  man  to  confess  what  should 
have  been  poured  into  the  ear  of  God  alone.  I 

cannot  dwell  upon  this Though  I 

believe  my  confessor  was,  on  the  whole,  as  guarded 
as  his  manners  were  kind,  at  some  things  I was 
strangely  startled,  utterly  confounded. 

“The  purity  of  mind  and  delicacy  in  which  I 
had  been  nurtured,  had  not  prepared  me  for  such 
an  ordeal ; and  my  own  sincerity,  and  dread  of 


198  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

committing  a sacrilege,  tended  to  augment  th^ 
painfulness  of  the  occasion.  One  circumstance, 
especially,  I will  recall,  which  my  fettered  com 
science  j)ersuaded  me  I was  obliged  to  name.  My 
distress  and  terror,  doubtless,  made  me  less  explicit 
than  I otherwise  might  have  been.  The  question* 
ing,  however,  it  elicited,  and  the  ideas  supplied  by 
it,  outraged  my  feelings  to  such  an  extent,  that, 
forgetting  all  respect  for  my  confessor,  and  care^ 
less,  even,  at  the  moment,  whether  I received 
absolution  or  not,  I hastily  exclaimed,  ‘ I cannot 
say  a w’ord  more,’  while  the  thought  rushed  into 
my  mind,  ^ all  is  true  that  their  enemies  say  of 
them.’  Here,  however,  prudence  dictated  to  my 
questioner  to  put  the  matter  no  further;  and  the 
kind  and  almost  respectful  tone  he  immediately 
assumed,  went  far  towards  effacing  an  impression 
so  injurious.  On  rising  from  my  knees,  when  I 
should  have  gladly  fled  to  any  distance  rather  than 
have  encountered  his  gaze,  he  addressed  me  in  the 
most  familiar  manner  on  different  subjects,  and  de- 
tained me  some  time  in  talking.  What  share  I 
took  in  the  conversation  I never  knew,  and  all  that 
I remember,  was  by  burning  cheeks,  and  inability 
to  raise  my  eyes  from  the  ground. 

‘‘  Here  I would  not  be  supposed  to  be  intention- 
Hly  casting  a stio::ma  upon  an  individual.  Nor  am 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  199 

I throwing  unqualified  blame  upon  the  priesthood. 
It  is  the  system  which  is  at  faulty  a system  which 
teaches  that  things,  even  at  the  remembrance  of 
which  degraded  humanity  must  blush  in  the  pres- 
ence of  heaven  and  its  angels,  should  be  laid  open, 
dwelt  upon^  and  exposed  in  detail^  to  the  sullied 
ears  of  a corrupt  and  fallen  fellow-mortal,  who,  of 
like  passions  with  the  penitent  at  his  feet,  is  thereby 
exposed  to  temptations  the  most  dark  and  danger- 
ous. But  what  shall  we  say  of  woman  ? Draw  a 
veil!  Oh  purity,  modesty!  and  every  womanly 
feeling!  a veil  as  oblivion,  over  the  fearfully  dan- 
gerous experience  thou  art  called  to  pass  through  !” 
(JPages  37  and  38.) 

^‘Ah!  there  are  things  which  cannot  be  re- 
corded ! facts  too  startling,  and  at  the  same  time 
too  delicately  intricate,  to  admit  a public  portrayal, 
to  meet  the  public  gaze  ; but  the  cheek  can  blush 
in  secret  at  the  true  images  which  memory  evokes, 
and  the  oppressed  mind  shrinks  back  in  horror 
from  the  dark  shadows  which  have  saddened  and 
overwhelmed  it.  I appeal  to  converts,  to  converts 
of  the  gentler  sex,  and  ask  them,  fearlessly  ask 
them,  what  was  the  first  impression  made  on  your 
minds  and  feelings  by  the  confessional?  I do  not 
ask  how  subsequent  familiarization  has  weakened 
the  effects ; but  when  acquaintance  was  first  made 


200  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAl^  AiSD  UONFEbSIONAL. 

with  it,  how  were  you  affected  by  it  ? I was  ot 
the  impure,  the  already  defiled,  for  to  such  > is 
sadly  susceptible  of  being  made  a darker  source  of 
guilt  and  shame ; I appeal  to  the  pure  minded  and 
delicate,  the  pure  in  heart  and  sentiment.  Was  not 
your  Jirst  impression  one  of  inexpressible  dread 
and  bewilderment,  followed  by  a sense  of  humilia- 
tion and  degradation  not  easily  to  be  defined  or 
supported?”  (Page  39.)  ‘‘The  memory  of  that 
time  [first  auricular  confession]  will  ever  be  painful 
and  abhorrent  to  me  ; though  subsequent  experi- 
ence has  thrown  even  that  far  into  the  background. 
It  was  my  initiatory  lesson  upon  subjects  which 
ought  never  to  enter  the  imagination  of  girlhood : 
my  introduction  into  a region  which  ought  never  to 
be  approached  by  the  guileless  and  the  pure.” 
(Page  61.)  “One  or  two  individuals  (Roman 
Catholics)  soon  formed  a close  intimacy  with  me, 
and  discoursed  with  a freedom  and  plainness  I had 
never  before  encountered.  My  acquaintances,  how- 
ever, had  been  brought  up  in  convents,  or  familiar 
with  them  for  years,  and  I could  not  gainsay  theii 
statement. 

“ I was  reluctant  to  believe  more  than  I had  ex 
perienced.  The  proof,  however,  was  destined  to 
come  in  no  dubious  shape  at  no  distant  day  ..... 
A dark  and  sullied  page  of  experience  was  fast 


LIBRARY 

UI^iVcRSITY  OF  iLLlNOIS 
URBANA 


THE  PKIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  201 


opening  upon  me ; but  so  unaccustomed  was  tlie 
eye  which  scanned  it,  that  I could  scarcely  at  all, 
at  once,  believe  in  its  truth  ! And  it  was  of  hypoc- 
risy so  hateful,  of  sacrilege  so  terrible,  and  abuse 
so  gross  of  all  things  pure  and  holy,  and  in  the 
person  of  one  bound  by  his  vows,  his  position,  and 
every  law  of  his  Church,  as  well  as  of  God,  to  set 
a high  example,  that,  for  a time,  all  confidence  in 
the  very  existence  of  sincerity  and  goodness  was 
in  danger  of  being  shaken  ; sacraments,  deemed 
the  most  sacred,  were  profaned ; vows  disregarded, 
vaunted  secrecy  of  the  confessional  covertly  in- 
fringed, and  its  sanctity  abused  to  an  unhallowed 
purpose ; while  even  private  visitation  was  con- 
verted into  a channel  for  temptation,  and  made  the 
occasion  of  unholy  freedom  of  words  and  manner. 
So  Y%n  the  account  of  evil,  and  a dire  account  it 
was.  By  it  all  serious  thoughts  of  religion  were 
well  nigh  extinguished.  The  infiuence  was  fearful 
and  polluting,  the  whirl  of  excitement  inexpressi- 
ble ; I cannot  enter  into  minute  particulars  here, 
every  sense  of  feminine  delicacy  and  womanly  feel- 
ing shrink  from  such  a task.  This  much,  however, 
I can  say,  that  I,  in  conjunction  with  two  other 
young  friends,  took  a journey  to  a confessor,  an 
inmate  of  a religious  house,  who  lived  at  some 
distance,  to  lay  the  afiair  before  him,  thinking  thr^t 


202  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

he  w^ould  take  some  remedial  measures  adequate  to 
the  urgency  of  the  case.  He  heard  our  united 
statements,  expressed  great  indignation,  and  at 
once  commended  us  each  to  write  and  detail  the 
rircumstances  of  the  case  to  the  Bishop  of  the  dis- 
Irict.  This  we  did,  hut  of  course  never  heard  the 
result.  The  reminiscences  of  these  dreary  and 
OTetched  months  seem  now  like  some  hideous  and 
guilty  dream.  It  was  actual  familiarization  with 
unholiest  things  ! ” (Page  63.) 

The  Romish  religion  teaches  that  if  you  omit 
to  name  anything  in  confession,  however  repugnant 
or  revolting  to  purity,- which  you  even  doubt  having 
committed,  your  subsequent  confessions  are  thus 
rendered  null  and  sacrilegious  ; whilst  it  also  incul- 
cates that  sins  of  thought  should  be  confessed  in 
order  that  the  confessor  may  judge  of  their  mortal 
ar  venial  character.  What  sort  of  a chain  this 
links  around  the  strictly  conscientious,  I would 
attempt  to  portray  if  I could.  But  it  must  have 
been  worn  to  understand  its  torturing  character ! 
Suffice  it  to  say  that,  for  montlis  past,  according  to 
this  standard,  I had  not  made  a good  confession  at 
all!  And  now,  filled  witli  remorse  for  my  past 
sacrilegious  sinfulness,  I resolved  on  making  a new 
general  confession  to  the  religieux  alluded  to.  But 
this  confessor’s  scrupulosity  exceeded  everything  I 


THE  PKIEST,  WuMAxN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

had  liitherto  encountered.  He  told  me  some  things 
were  mortal  sins  which  I liad  never  before  imag- 
ined could  be  such,  and  thus  threw  so  many  fetters 
around  my  conscience,  that  a host  of  anxieties  for 
iny  first  general  confession  was  awakened  withir 
me.  I had  no  resource,  then,  but  to  re-make  that, 
and  thus  I afresh  entered  on  the  bitter  path  I hac^ 
deemed  I should  never  have  occasion  again  t( 
tread.  But  if  my  first  confession  had  lacerated 
feelings,  what  was  it  to  this  one  ? Words  have  no 
power,  language  has  no  expression  to  characterise 
the  emotion  that  marked  it ! 

‘^The  difficulty  I felt  in  making  a full  and  ex- 
plicit avowal  of  all  that  distressed  me,  furnished 
my  confessor  with  a plea  for  his  assistance  in  the 
questioning  department,  and  fain  would  I conceal 
much  of  what  passed  then  as  a foul  blot  on  my 
memory.  I soon  found  that  he  made  mortal  sins 
of  what  my  first  confessor  had  professed  to  treat 
but  lightly,  and  he  did  not  scruple  to  say  that  1 
had  never  yet  made  a good  confession  at  all.  My 
ideas,  therefore,  became  more  complicated  and 
confused  as  I proceeded,  until,  at  length,  I began 
to  feel  doubtful  of  ever  accomplishing  my  task  in 
any  degree  satisfactorily ; and  my  mind  and  mem- 
ory were  positively  racked  to  recall  every  iota  of 
every  kind,  real  or  imaginary,  that  might  if  omitted^ 


204  THE  PEIEST5  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

hereafter  be  occasion  of  uneasiness.  Things,  here- 
tofore held  comparatively  trifling,  were  recounted, 
and  pronounced  damnable  sins  ; and  as,  Say  after 
day,  I knelt  at  the  feet  of  that  man,  answering 
questions  and  listening  to  admonitions  calculated 
to  bow  my  very  soul  to  the  dust,  I felt  as  though  I 
should  hardly  be  able  to  raise  my  head  again!  ’’ 
(Page  63.) 

This  is  the  peace  which  flows  from  auricular  con- 
fession ! I solemnly  declare  that,  except  in  a few 
cases,  in  which  the  confldence  of  the  penitents  is 
bordering  on  idiocy,  or  in  which  they  have  been 
transformed  into  immoral  brutes,  nine-tenths  of  the 
multitudes  who  go  to  confess  are  obliged  to  recount 
some  such  desolate  narrative  as  that  of  Miss  Rich- 
ardson, when  they  are  sufliciently  honest  to  say  the 
truth. 

The  most  fanatical  apostles  of  auricular  confes- 
sion cannot  deny  that  the  examination  of  con- 
science, which  must  precede  confession,  is  a most 
difficult  task,  a task  which,  instead  of  Ailing  the 
mind  with  peace.  Alls  it  with  anxiety  and  serious 
fears.  Is  it  then  only  after  confession  that  they 
promise  such  peace?  But  they  know  very  well 

that  this  promise  is  also  a cruel  deception for 

to  make  a good  confession  the  penitent  has  to  re- 
late not  only  all  his  bad  actions,  but  all  his  bad 


THE  PEIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL^  205 

thoughts  and  desires,  their  number  and  various 
aggravating  circumstances.  But  have  they  found  a 
single  one  of  their  penitents  who  was  certain  to 
have  remembered  all  the  thoughts,  the  desires,  all 
the  criminal  aspirations  of  the  poor  sinful  heart  ? 
They  are  well  aware  that  to  count  the  thoughts  of 
the  mind  for  days  and  weeks  gone  by,  and  to  nar- 
rate those  thoughts  accurately  at  a subsequent 
period,  are  just  as  easy  as  to  weigh  and  count  the 
clouds  which  have  passed  over  the  sun  in  a three 
days’  storm,  a month  after  that  storm  is  over.  It 
is  simply  impossible — absurd  ! This  has  never 
been,  this  will  never  be  done.  But  there  is  no 
possible  peace  so  long  as  the  penitent  is  not  sure 
that  he  has  remembered,  counted,  and  confessed 
every  past  sinful  thought,  word  and  deed.  It  is, 
then,  impossible,  yes  ! it  is  morally  and  physically 
impossible  for  a soul  to  find  peace  through  auricu- 
lar confession.  If  the  law  which  says  to  every 
sinner:  ‘‘You  are  bound,  under  pain  of  eternal 
damnation,  to  remember  all  your  bad  thoughts  and 
confess  them  to  the  best  of  your  memory,”  were 
not  so  evidently  a satanic  invention,  it  ought  to  be 
put  among  the  most  infamous  ideas  which  have 
ever  come  out  of  the  brain  of  fallen  man.  For  who 
can  remember  and  count  the  thoughts  of  a week,  of 
a day,  na^^,  of  an  hour  of  this  sinful  life  ? 


20&  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

"Wiit^re  is  the  traveler  who  has  crossed  th© 
swampy  forests  of  America,  in  the  three  months  of 
warm  weather,  who  could  tell  the  number  of  mos 
quitoes  which  have  bitten  him  and  drawn  the  blood 
from  the  veins  ? What  should  that  traveler  think 
of  the  man  who,  seriously,  would  tell  him  ‘‘You 
must  prepare  yourself  to  die,  if  you  do  not  tell  me^ 
to  the  best  of  your  memory,  how  many  times  you 
have  been  bitten  by  the  mosquitoes  the  last  three 
summer  months,  when  you  crossed  the  swampy 
lands  along  the  shores  of  the  Mississippi  and  Mis- 
souri rivers  ? ” Would  he  not  suspect  that  his  mer- 
ciless inquirer  had  escaped  from  a lunatic  asylum  ? 

But  it  would  be  much  more  easy  for  that  traveler 
to  say  how  many  times  he  has  sulfered  from  the 
bitings  of  the  mosquitoes,  than  for  the  poor  sinner  to 
count  the  bad  thoughts  which  have  passed  through 
his  sinful  heart,  through  any  period  of  his  life. 

Though  the  penitent  is  told  that  he  must  confess 
his  thoughts  only  according  to  his  hest  recollection, 
— he  will  never^  never  know  if  he  lias  done  his  best 
efforts  to  remember  everything  : he  will  constantly 
fear  lest  he  has  not  done  his  best  to  count  and  com 
fess  them  correctly 

Every  honest  priest,  if  he  speak  the  truth,  will^ 
at  once,  admit  that  his  most  intelligent  and  pious 
penitents,  particularly  among  women,  are  con- 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  20T 

stantly  tortured  by  the  fear  of  having  omitted  to 
confess  some  sinful  deeds  or  thoughts.  Many  of 
them,  after  having  already  made  several  general 
confessions,  are  constantly  urged  by  the  pricking 
^f  their  conscience,  to  begin  afresh,  in  the  fear  that 
their  first  confessions  had  some  serious  defects. 
Those  past  confessions,  instead  of  being  a source  of 
spiritual  joy  and  peace,  are,  on  the  contrary,  like 
so  many  Damocle’s  swords,  day  and  night  sus- 
pended over  their  heads,  filling  their  souls  with  the 
terrors  of  an  eternal  death.  Sometimes,  the  terror- 
stricken  consciences  of  those  honest  and  pious 
women  tell  them  that  they  were  not  sufficiently 
contrite  ; at  another  time,  they  reproach  them  for 
not  having  spoken  sufficiently  plain,  on  some  things 
fitter  to  make  them  blush. 

On  many  occasions,  too,  it  has  happened  that 
sins  which  one  confessor  had  declared  to  be  venial, 
and  which  had  long  ceased  to  be  confessed,  another 
more  scrupulous  than  the  first,  would  declare  to  be 
damnable.  Every  confessor,  thus  knows  well  that 
he  proffers  what  is  fiagrantly  false,  every  time  he  dis- 
misses his  penitents  after  confession,  with  the  sal- 
utation : Go  in  peace,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee.  ” 

But  it  is  a mistake  to  say  that  the  soul  does  not 
find  peace  in  auricular  confession  ; in  many  cases, 
peace  is  found.  And  if  the  reader  desires  to  learn 


208  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

somethiPig  of  that  peace,  let  him  go  to  the  grave- 
yard, open  the  tombs,  and  peep  into  the  sepulchres. 
What  awful  silence  ! What  profound  quiet ! What 
terrible  and  frightful  peace  ! You  hear  not  OVen 
the  motion  of  the  worms  that  creep  in,  and  the 
worms  that  creep  out,  as  they  feast  upon  the  dead 
carcass.  Such  is  the  peace  of  the  confessional ! 
The  soul,  the  intelligence,  the  honor,  the  self- 
respect,  the  conscience,  are,  there,  sacrificed. 
There,  they  must  die!  Yes,  the  confessional  is 
the  very  tomb  of  human  conscience,  a sepulchre  of 
human  honesty,  dignity,  and  liberty  ; the  grave- 
yard of  the  human  soul ! By  its  means,  man,  whom 
God  hath  made  in  his  own  image,  is  converted  into 
the  likeness  of  the  beast  that  perishes;  women, 
created  by  God  to  be  the  glory  ahd  helpmate  of 
man,  is  transformed  into  the  vile  and  trembling 
slave  of  the  priest.  In  the  confessional,  man  and 
woman  attain  to  the  highest  degree  of  Popish  per- 
fection ; they  become  as  dry  sticks,  as  dead  branches, 
as  silent  corpses  in  the  hands  of  their  confessors. 
Their  spirits  are  destroyed,  their  consciences  are 
stilf,  their  souls  are  ruined. 

This  is  the  supreme  and  perfect  result  achieved, 
in  its  highest  victories,  by  the  Church  of  Rome. 

There  is,  verily,  peace  to  be  found  in  auricular 
confession — yes,  but  it  is  the  peace  of  the  grave! 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  DOGMA  OF  AURICULAR  CONFESSION  A SACRI- 
LEGIOUS IMPOSTURE. 

Both  Roman  Catholics  and  Protestants  have 
fallen  into  very  strange  errors  in  reference  to 
the  words  of  Christ : Whosesoever  sins  ye  remit, 

they  are  remitted  unto  them  ; and  whosesoever  sins 
ye  retain,  they  are  retained.”  (St.  John  xx.  23.) 

The  first  have  seen  in  this  text  the  inalienable 
attributes  of  God  of  forgiving  and  retaining  sins 
transferred  to  sinful  men;  the  second  have  most 
unwisely  granted  their  position,  even  while  at- 
tempting to  refute  their  errors. 

A little  more  attention  to  the  translation  of  the 
Sd  and  6th  verses  of  chapter  xiii.  of  Leviticus  by 
the  Septuagint  would  have  prevented  the  former 
from  falling  into  their  sacrilegious  errors,  and  would 
have  saved  the  latter  from  wasting  so  much  time 
in  refuting  errors  which  refute  themselves. 

Many  believe  that  the  Septuagint  Bible  was  the 
Bible  that  was  generally  read  and  used  by  Jesus 


210  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

Christ  and  the  Hebrew  people  in  our  Saviour’s 
days.  Its  language  was  possibly  the  one  spoken 
at  times  by  Christ  and  understood  by  his  hearers. 
When  addressing  his  apostles  and  disciples  on  their 
duties  towards  the  spiritual  lepers  to  whom  they 
Were  to  preach  the  ways  of  salvation,  Christ  con- 
stantly followed  the  very  expression  of  the  Septua- 
gint.  It  was  the  foundation  of  his  ^doctrine  and 
the  testimonial  of  his  divine  mission  to  which  lie 
<ionstantly  appealed : the  book  which  was  the 
greatest  treasure  of  the  nation. 

From  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  Old  and 
the  New  Testaments,  the  bodily  leprosy,  with 
which  the  Jewish  priest  had  to  deal,  is  presented  as 
the  figure  of  the  spiritual  leprosy,  sin,  the  penalty 
of  which  our  Saviour  had  taken  upon  himself,  that 
we  might  be  saved  by  his  death.  That  spiritual 
leprosy  was  the  very  thing  for  the  cleansing  of 
which  he  had  come  to  this  world — for  which  he 
lived,  suffered,  and  died.  Yes,  the  bodily  leprosy 
with  which  the  priests  of  the  Jews  had  to  deal,  was 
the  figure  of  the  sins  which  Christ  was  to  take 
away  by  shedding  his  blood,  and  with  which  his 
disciples  were  to  deal  till  the  end  of  the  world. 

When  speaking  of  the  duties  of  the  Hebrew 
priests  towards  the  leper,  our  modern  translations 
gay:  (Lev.  xiii.  v.  6,)  They  will  pronounce  him 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  211 


clean,”  or  (v.  3)  ‘‘They  will  pronounce  him  un- 
clean.” 

But  this  action  of  the  priests  was  expressed  in 
a very  different  way  by  the  Septuagiiit  Bible,  used 
by  Christ  and  the  people  of  his  time.  Instead  of 
saying,  “The  priest  shall  pronounce  the  leper 
clean,”  as  we  read  in  our  Bible,  the  Septuagint 
version  says,  “The  priest  shall  clean  (Jcatharei)^  or 
shall  unclean  (mianei)  the  leper.” 

No  one  had  ever  been  so  foolish,  among  the 
Jews,  as  to  believe  that  because  their  Bible  said 
clean  (Jcatharei)^  their  priests  had  the  miraculous 
and  supernatural  power  of  taking  away  and  curing 
the  leprosy:  and  we  nov/here  see  that  the  Jewish 
priests  ever  had  the  audacity  to  try  to  persuade  the 
people  that  they  had  ever  received  any  supernatu- 
ral and  divine  power  to  “cleanse”  the  leprosy, 
because  their  God,  through  the  Bible,  had  said  of 
them : “ They  will  cleanse  the  leper.”  Both  priest 
and  people  were  sufficiently  intelligent  and  honest 
to  understand  and  acknowledge  that,  by  that  ex" 
pression,  it  was  only  meant  that  the  priest  had  tho 
legal  right  to  see  if  the  leprosy  was  gone  or  not, 
they  had  only  to  look  at  certain  marks  indicated  by 
God  himself,  through  Moses,  to  know  whether  or 
not  God  had  cured  the  leper  before  he  presented 
himself  to  his  priest.  The  leper,  cured  by  the 


'212  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 


mercy  and  power  of  God  alone,  before  presenting 
liirnself  to  the  priest,  was  only  declared  to  be  clean 
by  that  priest.  Thus  the  priest  was  said,  by  the 
Bible,  to  ‘‘clean”  the  leper,  or  the  leprosy  ; — and 
in  the  opposite  case  to  “unclean.”  (Septuaginh 
Leviticus  xiii.  v.  3,  6.) 

Now,  let  us  put  what  God  has  said,  through 
Moses,  to  the  priests  of  the  old  law,  in  reference  to 
the  bodily  leprosy,  face  to  face  with  what  God  has 
«aid,  through  his  Son  Jesus,  to  his  apostles  and  his 
whole  church,  in  reference  to  the  spiritual  leprosy 
from  which  Christ  has  delivered  us  on  the  cross. 

Septuagint  Bible,  Levit.  xiii.  New  Testament,  John  xx.  23. 


“And  the  Priest  shall  look 
on  the  plague,  in  the  skin  of 
the  flesh,  and  when  the  hair 
in  the  plague  is  turned  white, 
and  the  plague  in  sight  be 
deeper  than  the  skin  of  his 
flesh,  it  is  a plague  of  leprosy; 
and  the  priest  shall  look  on 
him  and  unclean  him  {mi- 
^nei). 

“And  the  Priest  shall  look 
on  him  again  the  seventh  day, 
and  if  the  plague  is  somewhat 
dark  and  does  not  spread  on 
the  skin, the  Priest  shall  clean 
HIM  {katharei) : and  he  shall 
wash  his  clothes  and  b k 
CLEAN  ’ ’ {katharos). 


“ Whosesoever  sins  ye  re- 
mit, they  are  remitted  unto 
them;  and  whosesoever  sins 
ye  retain  they  are  retained. 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  213 

The  analogy  of  the  diseases  with  which  the  He- 
brew priests  and  the  disciples  of  Christ  had  to  deal, 
(s  striking  : so  the  analogy  of  the  expressions  pre- 
•scribing  their  respective  duties  is  also  striking. 

When  God  said  to  the  priests  of  the  Old  Law, 
^‘You  shall  clean  the  leper,”  and  he  shall  be 

cleaned,”  or  ‘‘you  shall  unclean  the  leper,”  and 
he  shall  be  “uncleaned,”  he  only  gave  the  legal 
power  to  see  if  there  were  any  signs  or  indications 
by  which  they  could  say  that  God  had  cured  the 
leper  before  he  presented  himself  to  the  priest.  So, 
when  Christ  said  to  his  apostles  and  his  whol# 
church,  “ Whosesover  sins  ye  shall  forgive,  shall  be 
forgiven  unto  them,”  he  only  gave  them  the  author- 
ity to  say  when  the  spiritual  lepers,  the  sinners, 
had  reconciled  themselves  to  God,  and  received 
their  pardon  from  him  and  him  alone,  previous  to 
the  coming  to  the  apostles. 

It  is  true  that  the  priests  of  the  Old  Law  had 
regulations  from  God,  through  Moses,  which  they 
had  to  follow,  by  which  they  could  see  and  say 
whether  or  not  the  leprosy  was  gone. 

If  the  plague  spread  not  on  the  skin th^ 

priest  shall  clean  him but  if  the  priest  see  that 

the  scab  spread  on  the  skin,  it  is  leprosy  : he  shall 
“unclean”  him.  (Septuagint,  Levit.  xiii.  3,  6.) 

Should  any  be  convinced  that  Christ  spoke  the 


214  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 


Hebrew  of  that  day  and  not  the  Greek,  and  nsed 
the  Old  Testament  in  Hebrew  we  have  only  to  say 
that  the  Hebrew  is  precisely  the  same  as  the 
Greek — the  priest  is  said  to  clean  or  unclean  as  tlie 
case  may  be,  precisely  as  in  the  Septuagint. 

So  Christ  had  given  to  his  apostles  and  his  whole 
church  equally,  infallible  rules  and  marks  to  deter- 
mine whether  or  not  the  spiritual  leprosy  was  gone, 
that  they  might  clean  the  leper  and  tell  him. 


I clean  thee, 
or 

I unclean  thee. 


I forgive  thy  sins, 
or 

I retain  thy  sins. 


I would  have,  indeed,  many  passages  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments  to  copy,  were  it  my  intention 
to  reproduce  all  the  marks  given  by  God  himself, 
through  his  prophets,  or  by  Christ  and  apostles, 
that  his  ambassadors  might  know  when  they  should 
say  to  the  sinner  that  he  was  delivered  from  his 
iniquities.  I will  give  only  a few. 

First:  And  he  said  unto  them,  go  ye  into  all 

the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature : 

‘‘He  that  believeth  and  is  baptised,  shall  be 
saved : but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.  ” 
(Mark  xvi.  15,  16.) 

What  a strange  want  of  memory  in  the  Saviour 
of  the  World  ! He  has  entirely  forgotten  that 
“ auricular  confession,”  besides  faith  and  baptism 
are  necessary  to  be  saved  ! To  tliose  who  believe 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  215 

and  are  baptised,  the  apostles  and  the  church  are 
authorized  by  Christ  to  say  : 

You  are  saved ! your  sins  are  forgiven : I clean 
you  ! ” 

Second : “ And  when  ye  come  into  a house,  sa- 
lute it. 

‘^And  if  the  house  be  wortny,  let  your  peace 
come  upon  it : but  if  it  be  not  worthy,  let  your 
peace  return  to  you. 

And  whosoever  shall  not  receive  you  nor  hear 
your  words,  when  ye  dapart  out  of  that  house  or 
city,  shake  off  the  dust  of  your  feet. 

Yerily,  verily  I say  nnto  you,  it  shall  be  more 
tolerable  for  the  land  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  in 
the  day  of  Judgment,  than  for  that  city.”  (Matt. 
X.  12-15.) 

Here,  again,  the  Great  Physician  tells  his  disci- 
ples when  the  leprosy  will  be  gone,  the  sins  for- 
given, the  sinner  purified.  It  is  when  the  lepers, 
the  sinners,  will  have  welcomed  his  messengers, 
heard  and  received  their  message.  Not  a word 
about  auricular  confession  : this  great  panacea  of 
the  Pope  was  evidently  ignored  by  Christ. 

Third  : If  ye  forgive  men  their  trespasses,  your 

heavenly  father  will  also  forgive  you, — but  if  ye 
forgive  not  men  their  trespasses,  neither  will  your 
Father  forgive  your  trespasses.”  (Matt.  vi.  Pi  15.) 


216  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

Was  it  possible  to  give  a more  striking  and  sim- 
ple rule  to  the  apostles  and  the  disciples  that  they 
might  know  when  they  could  say  to  a sinner : 
‘^Thy  sins  are  forgiven!”  or,  ‘^thy  sins  are  re- 
tained?” Here  the  double  keys  of  heaven  are 
most  solemnly  and  publicly  given  to  every  child  of 
Adam  ! As  sure  as  there  is  a God  in  heaven  and 
that  Jesus  died  to  save  sinners,  so  it  is  sure  that  if 
one  forgives  the  trespasses  of  his  neighbor  for  tlio 
dear  Saviour’s  sake,  believing  in  him,  his  own  sins' 
have  been  forgiven  ! To  the  end  of  the  world, 
then,  let  the  disciples  of  Christ  say  to  the  sinner, 
‘^Thy  sins  are  forgiven,”  not  because  you  have 
confessed  your  sins  to  me,  but  for  Christ’s  sake ; 
the  evidence  of  which  is  that  you  have  forgiven 
those  who  had  offended  you. 

Fourth:  ‘‘And  behold,  a certain  one  stood  up 
and  tempted  nim,  saying  : Master,  what  shall  I do 
to  inherit  eternal  life  ? 

“He  said  unto  him:  What  is  written  in  the 
law  ? how  readest  thou  ? 

“And  he,  answering,  said:  Thou  shalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength,  and  with  all  thy 
mind  ; and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself. 

“ And  he  said  unto  him  : Thou  hast  answered 
right;  this  do  and  thou  shalt  live.”  (Lukex.  25-28.) 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  217 

What  a fine  opportunity  for  tlie  Saviour  to  speak 
of  ‘^auricular  confession”  as  a means  given  by 
him  to  be  saved ! But  here  again  Christ  forgets 
that  marvellous  medicine  of  the  Popes.  Jesus, 
speaking  absolutely  like  the  Protestants,  bids  his 
messengers  to  proclaim  pardon,  forgiveness  of  sins, 
not  to  those  who  confess  their  sins  to  a man,  but  to 
those  who  love  God  and  their  neighbor.  And  so 
will  his  true  disciples  and  messengers  do  to  the  end 
of  the  world ! 

Fifth  : And  when  he  (the  prodigal  son)  came  to 

himself,  he  said : I will  arise  and  go  to  my  father, 
arivd  I will  say  unto  him,  Father,  I have  sinned 
against  Heaven  and  before  thee  : and  I am  not  wor- 
thy to  be  called  thy  son : make  me  as  one  of  thy 
hired  servants. 

‘‘And  he  arose  and  came 'to  his  father.  But 
when  he  was  yet  a great  way  off*,  his  father  saw 
him  and  had  compassion,  and  ran,  and  he  fell  on 
his  neck  and  kissed  him. 

“ And  the  son  said.  Father,  I have  sinned  against 
Heaven  and  in  thy  sight,  and  am  not  worthy  to  be 
called  thy  son. 

“But  the  father  said  to  his  servants:  Bring 
forth  the  best  robe,  and  put  it  on  him  : put  a ring 
on  his  hand  and  shoes  on  his  feet,  and  bring  hither 
the  fatted  calf  For  this  my  son  was  dead,  and  he  is 


218  THE  PKIEST,  WOMxVN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

alive  again,  he  was  lost  and  he  is  found/’  (Luke 
XV.  17-24.) 

Apostles  and  disciples  of  Christ,  wherever  you 
will  hear,  on  this  land  of  sin  and  misery,  the  cry  of 
the  Prodigal  Son:  ‘‘‘I  will  arise  and  go  to  my 
Father,”  every  time  you  see  him,  not  at  your  feet, 
but  at  the  feet  of  his  true  Father,  crying,  “ Father, 
I have  sinned  against  thee,”  unite  your  hymns  of 
joy  to  the  joyful  songs  of  the  angels  of  God ; re- 
peat into  the  ears  of  that  redeemed  sinner  the  sen- 
tence just  fallen  from  the  lips  of  the  Lamb,  whose 
blood  cleanses  us  from  all  our  sins  ; say  to  him. 

Thy  sins  are  forgiven.” 

Sixth:  ^‘Come  unto  me  all  ye  who  labor,  and 
are  heavy  laden,  and  I will  give  3^011  rest.  Take 
my  yoke  upon  3^011,  and  learn  of  me,  for  I am  meek 
and  lowly  in  heart,  and  3^e  shall  find  rest  unto  your 
souls  ; for  m3^  yoke  is  easy  and  my  burden  is  light.  ” 
(Matt.  xi.  28-30.) 

Though  these  words  were  pronounced  more  than 
1800  years  ago,  they  were  pronounced  this  very 
morning : they  come  at  every  hour  of  day  and 
night  from  the  lips  and  the  heart  of  Christ  to  every 
one  of  us  sinners.  It  is  just  now  that  Jesus  says 
to  every  sinner,  Come  to  me  and  I will  give  ye 
rest.”  Christ  has  never  said  and  he  will  never  say 
to  any  sinner,  Go  to  my  priests  and  they  will 


THE  PKIEST,  ^Vu.^lAx^  aaiD  confessional. 


21^) 


give  you  rest.”  But  lie  lias  said,  ^‘Come  to  me, 
and  I will  give  you  rest.” 

Let  tlie  apostles  and  disciples  of  the  Saviour, 
then,  proclaim  peace,  pardon,  and  rest,  not  to  the 
sinners  who  come  to  confess  to  them  all  their  sins, 
but  to  those  who  go  to  Christ,  and  liiiii  alone,  for 
peace,  pardon  and  rest.  For  Come  to  me,”  from 
Jesus’  lips,  has  never  meant — it  will  never  mean — 
Go  and  confess  to  the  priests.” 

Christ  would  never  have  said:  yoke  is 

easy  and  my  burden  light”  if  he  had  instituted 
auricular  confession.  For  the  world  has  never 
seen  a yoke  so  heavy,  humiliating,  and  degrading, 
as  auricular  confession. 

Seventh:  ‘^As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in 
the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son  of  Man  be 
lifted  up ; that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should 
not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life.”  (John  hi.  14.) 

Did  Almighty  God  require  any  auricular  confes- 
sion in  the  wilderness,  from  the  sinners,  when  he 
ordered  Moses  to  lift  up  the  serpent  ? No  ! Neith- 
er did  Christ  speak  of  auricular  confession  as  a con- 
dition of  salvation  to  those  who  look  to  Him  when 
He  dies  on  the  Cross  to  pay  their  debts  A free 
pardon  was  offered  to  the  Israelites  who  looked  to 
the  uplifted  serpent.  A free  pardon  is  offered  by 
Christ  crucified  to  all  those  who  look  to  Him  with 


220  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

faith,  repentance,  and  love.  To  such  sinners  the 
ministers  of  Christ,  to  the  end  of  the  world,  are 
authorized  to  say  : Your  sins  are  forgiven  ” — we 

‘ ‘ clean  your  leprosy.  ’ ’ 

Eighth  : ‘‘For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  He 
gave  His  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  Him  should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal 
life. 

“ For  God  sent  not  his  Son  to  condemn  the 
world,  but  that  the  world,  through  him,  might  be 
saved. 

“He  that  belie veth  in  him  is  not  condemned; 
but  he  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already, 
because  he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of  the 
only  begotten  Son  of  God. 

“And  this  is  the  condemnation,  that  light  is 
come  into  the  world,  and  men  loved  darkness  rather 
than  light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil.  For 
every  one  that  doeth  evil,  hateth  the  light,  neither 
cometh  to  the  light,  lest  his  deeds  should  be  re- 
proved. 

“ But  he  that  doeth  truth,  cometh  to  the  light, 
that  his  deeds  may  be  manifest,  that  they  are 
wrought  in  God.”  (John  iii.  16-21.) 

In  the  religion  of  Rome,  it  is  only  through  auric- 
ular confession  that  the  sinner  can  be  reconciled  to 
God  ; it  is  only  after  he  has  heard  a most  detailed 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  221 

confession  of  all  the  thoughts,  desires,  and  actions 
of  the  guilty  one  that  he  can  tell  him  : “ Thy  sins 
are  forgiven.”  But  in  the  religion  of  the  Gospel, 
the  reconciliation  of  the  sinner  with  his  God  is  ab- 
solutely and  entirely  the  work  of  Christ.  That 
marvellous  forgiveness  is  a free  gift  offered  not  for 
any  outward  act  of  the  sinner  : nothing  is  required 
from  him  but  faith,  repentance,  and  love.  These 
are  marks  by  which  the  leprosy  is  known  to  be 
cured  and  the  sins  forgiven.  To  all  those  who  have 
these  marks,  the  ambassadors  of  Christ  are  author- 
ized to  say,  ‘‘Your  sins  are  forgiven,  ” we  “clean” 
you. 

Ninth  : “ The  publican,  standing  afar  off,  would 
not  lift  up  so  much  as  his  eyes  to  heaven,  but 
smote  upon  his  breast,  saying:  “ God  ! be  merch 

ful  to  me  a sinner  ! 

“I  tell  you,  this  man  went  down  to  his  hous(L 
justified.”  (Luke  xviii.  13-14.)  Yes!  justified! 
and  without  auricular  confession  ! 

Ministers  and  disciples  of  Christ,  when  you  see 
the  repenting  sinner  smiting  his  breast  and  crying: 
“ Oh,  God,  have  mercy  upon  me,  a sinner  !”  shut 
your  ears  to  the  deceptive  words  of  Rome,  or  its 
ugly  tail  the  Ritualists,  who  tell  you  to  force  that 
redeemed  sinner  to  make  to  you  a special  confes- 
sion of  all  his  sins  to  get  his  pardon.  But  go  to 


222  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

him  and  deliver  the  message  of  love,  peace,  and 
mercy,  which  you  received  from  Christ : “ Thy 

sins  are  forgiven  ! I ^ clean  ’ thee  !” 

Tenth  : And  one  of  the  malefactors  which  were 

hanged,  railed  on  him,  saying  : If  thou  be  Christ 

save  thyself  and  us. 

‘^But  the  other,  answering,  rebuked  him,  say- 
ing: Dost  thou  not  fear  God,  seeing  thou  art  in 
the  same  condemnation  ? 

^‘And  we  indeed  justly,  for  we  receive  the  due 
reward  of  our  deeds  : but  this  man  hath  done  noth  • 
ing  amiss. 

‘^And  he  said  unto  Jesus:  Eemember  me  when 
thou  comest  into  thy  Kingdom.  And  Jesus  said  unto 
him  : Yerily  I say  unto  thee,  to-day,  shalt  thou  be 
with  me  in  Paradise.  (Luke  xxiii.  39-43.) 

Yes,  in  the  Paradise  or  Kingdom  of  Christ,  witln 
out  auricular  confession  ! From  Calvary,  when  his 
hands  are  nailed  to  the  cross,  and  liis  blood  is 
poured  out,  Christ  protests  agaiust  the  great  inn 
posture  of  auricular  confession.  Jesus  will  be,  to 
the  end  of  the  world,  what  he  was,  |here,  on  tlie 
cross : the  sinner’s  friend ; always  ready  to  hear 
and  pardon  those  who  invoke  his  name  and  trust 
in  him. 

Disciples  of  the  gospel,  wherever  you  hear  the 
cry  of  the  repenting  sinner  to  the  crucified  Saviour  : 


THE  PKIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  228 

^‘Kemember  me  when  thou  comest  to  thy  King- 
dom,’/ go  and  give  the  assurance  to  that  penitent 
and  redeemed  child  of  Adam,  that  ‘‘his  sins  are 
forgiven  — “ clean  the  leper.” 

Eleventh:  “Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  ways, 

and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts : and  let  him 
return  to  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon 
him  ; and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  par- 
don.” (Isa.  Iv.  7,  8.) 

“ Wash  you  and  make  you  clean*  put  away  the 
#vils  of  your  doings  from  before  mine  eyes  : cease 
to  do  evil,  learn  to  do  well;  seek  judgment,  le- 
\eve  the  oppressed ; judge  the  fatherless,  and 
^lead  for  the  widow. 

“Come  now,  and  let  us  reason  together,  saith 
the  Lord : though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  will 
be  as  white  as  snow ; though  they  be  red  like  crim- 
son, they  shall  be  as  wool.”  (Isa.  i,  16-18.) 

Here  are  the  landmarks  of  the  mercy  of  God, 
put  by  his  own  Almighty  hands  ! Who  will  dare 
to  remove  them  in  order  to  put  others  in  their 
place  ? Has  ever  Christ  touched  these  landmarks  ? 
Has  he  ever  intimated  that  anything  but  faith,  repen- 
tance, and  love,  with  their  blessed  fruits,  were  requir- 
ed from  the  sinned  to  secure  his  pardon  ? No — never. 

Have  the  prophets  of  the  Old  Testament  or  the 
apostles  of  the  New,  ever  said  a word  about  “ aur- 


224  THE  PKIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

icular  confession,”  as  a condition  for  pardon  ? No 
— never. 

What  does  David  say?  confess  my  sins 

unto  thee,  and  mine  iniquity  have  I not  hid.  I 
said,  I will  confess  my  transgression  unto  the 
Lord,  and  thou  forgavest  the  iniquity  of  my  sin.” 
(Psalm  xxxii.  5.) 

What  does  the  apostle  John  say?  ‘‘If we  say 
that  we  have  fellowship  with  him,  and  walk  in  dark- 
ness, we  lie,  and  do  not  the  truth. 

“But  if  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  he  is  in  the 
light,  we  have  fellowship  with  one  another,  and  the 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  his  son,  cleanseth  us  from 
sin ; 

“ If  we  say  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves, 
and  the  truth  is  not  in  us. 

“ If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just 
to  forgive  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  un- 
righteousness.” (1  John  i.  6-9.) 

This  is  the  language  of  the  prophets  and  apos- 
tles. This  is  the  language  of  the  Old  and  the  New 
Testament.  It  is  to  God  and  him  alone  that  the 
sinner  is  requested  to  confess  his  sins.  It  is  from 
God  and  him  alone  that  he  can  expect  his  pardon. 

The  apostle  Paul  writes  fifteen  epistles,  in  which 
he  speaks  of  all  the  duties  imposed  upon  human 
conscience  by  the  laws  of  God  and  the  prescriptions 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  225 

of  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  A thousand  times  he 
speaks  to  sinners,  and  tells  them  how  they  may  be 
reconciled  to  God.  But  does  he  say  a word  about 
auricular  confession  ? No — not  one  ! 

The  apostles  Peter,  John,  Jude,,  address  six  let- 
ters to  the  different  churches,  in  which  they  state, 
with  the  greatest  detail,  what  the  different  classes 
of  sinners  have  to  do  to  be  saved.  But  again,  not 
a single  word  comes  from  them  about  auricular 
confession. 

St.  James  says:  ^‘Confess  your  faults  one  to 

another.”  But  this  is  so  evidently  the  repetition 
of  what  the  Saviour  had  said  about  the  way  of 
reconciliation  between  those  who  had  offended  one 
another,  and  it  is  so  far  from  the  dogma  of  a secret 
confession  to  the  priest  that  the  most  zealous  sup^ 
porters  of  auricular  confession  have  not  dared  to 
mention  that  text  in  favor  of  their  modern  invention. 

But  if  we  look  in  vain  in  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments for  a word  in  favor  of  auricular  confession 
as  a dogma,  will  it  be  possible  to  find  that  dogma 
in  the  records  of  the  first  thousand  years  of  Chris- 
tianity ? No  ! for  the  more  one  studies  the  re- 
cords of  the  Christian  Church  during  those  first  ten 
centuries,  the  more  he  will  be  convinced  that  aur- 
icular confession  is  a miserable  imposture  of  the 
darkest  days  of  the  world  and  the  church. 


i)26  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

And  so  it  is  with  the  lives  of  several  of  the 
early  fathers  of  the  church.  Not  a word  is  said  ot 
their  confessing  their  sins  to  anyone,  though  a 
thousand  things  are  said  of  them  which  are  of  a far 
less  interesting  character. 

So  it  is  with  the  life  of  St.  Mary,  the  Egyptian. 
The  minute  history  of  her  life,  her  public  scandals, 
her  conversion,  long  prayers  and  fastings  in  soli- 
tude, the  detailed  history  of  her  last  days  and  of 
her  death,  all  these  we  have  ; but  not  a single  word 
is  said  of  her  confessing  to  anyone.  It  is  evident 
ttiat  she  lived  and  died  without  ever  having  thought 
of  going  to  confess. 

The  deacon  Pontius  wrote  also  the  life  of  St. 
Cyprian,  who  lived  in  the  third  century ; but  he 
does  not  say  a word  of  his  ever  having  gone  to  con- 
fession, or  having  heard  the  confession  of  anyone. 
More  than  that,  we  learn  from  this  reliable  liistor- 
ian  that  Cyprian  was  excommunicated  by  the  Pope 
of  Koine,  called  Stephen,  and  that  he  died  without 
having  ever  asked  from  anyone  absolution  from 
that  excommunication ; a thing  which  has  not 
seemingly  prevented  him  from  going  to  Heaven, 
since  the  infallible  Popes  of  Rome,  who  succeeded 
Stephen,  have  assured  us  that  he  is  a saint. 

Qregory  of  Nyssa  has  given  us  the  life  of  St. 
Gregory,  of  Neo-Caesarea,  of  the  third  century,  and 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  227 

of  St.  Basil,  of  the  fourth  century.  But  neither 
speak  of  their  having  gone  to  confess,  or  having 
heard  the  secret  and  auricular  confession  of  anyone. 
It  is  thus  evident  thot  those  two  great  and  good 
menj  with  all  the  Christians  of  their  times,  lived 
and  died  without  ever  knowing  anything  about  the 
dogma  of  auricular  confession. 

We  have  the  interesting  life  of  St.  Ambrose,  of 
the  fourth  century,  by  Paulinus ; and  from  that 
book  it  is  evident,  as  two  and  two  make  fonr,  that 
St.  Ambrose  never  went  to  confess. 

The  history  of  St.  Martin,  of  Tours,  of  the  fourth 
century,  by  Severus  Sulpicius,  of  the  fifth  century, 
is  another  monument  left  by  antiquity  to  prove  tliat 
there  was  no  dogma  of  auricular  confession  in  those 
days  ; for  St.  Martin  has  evidently  lived  and  died 
without  ever  going  to  confess. 

Pallas  and  Theoderet  have  left  us  the  history  of 
the  life,  sufferings,  and  death  of  St.  Chrysostom, 
Bishop  ofi  Constantinople,  who  died  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  fifth  century,  and  both  are  absolutely? 
mute  about  that  dogma.  No  fact  is  more  evident^ 
by  what  they  say,  than  that  holy  and  eloquent 
bishop  lived  and  died  also  without  ever  thinking  of 
going  to  confess. 

No  man  has  ever  more  perfectly  entered  into  the 
details  of  a Christian  life,  when  writing  on  that 


THE  PEIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

subject,  than  the  learned  and  eloquent  St.  Jerome, 
of  the  fifth  century.  Many  of  his  admirable  let- 
ters are  written  to  the  priests  of  his  day,  and  to 
several  Christian  ladies  and  virgins,  who  had 
requested  him  to  give  them  some  good  advice 
about  the  best  way  to  lead  a Christian  life.  His 
letters,  which  form  five  volumes,  are  most  interest- 
ing monuments  of  the  manners,  habits,  views, 
morality,  practical  and  dogmatical  faith  of  the  first 
centuries  of  the  church  ; they  are  a most  unan 
swerable  evidence  that  auricular  confession,  as  a 
dogma,  had  then  no  existence,  and  is  quite  a mod- 
ern invention.  Would  it  be  possible  that  Jerome 
had  forgotten  to  give  some  advices  or  rules  about 
auricular  confession,  to  the  priests  of  his  time  who 
asked  his  council  about  the  best  way  to  fulfil  their 
ministerial  duties,  if  it  had  been  one  of  their  duties 
to  hear  the  confessions  of  the  people?  But  we 
challenge  the  most  devoted  modern  priest  of  Kome 
to  find  a single  line  in  all  the  letters  of^^^St.  Jerome 
in  favor  of  auricular  confession.  In  his  admirable 
letter  to  the  Priest  Nepotianus,  on  the  life  of 
priests,  vol.  II.,  p.  203,  when  speaking  of  the  rela- 
tions of  priests  with  women,  he  says  : Solus  cum 

sola,  secreto  et  absque  arbitrio,  vel  teste,  non  sedeas. 
Si  familiarius  est  aliquid  loquendum,  habet  nutri- 
cem  majorem  doinus,  virginem,  viduam,  vel  rnari- 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  22& 

tatam;  non  est  tarn  inhmnana  nt  nullum  prseter  te 
habeat  cui  se  audeat  credere.” 

‘‘Nev^er  sit  in  secret,  alone,  in  a retired  place, 
with  a female  who  is  alone  with  you.  If  she  has 
any  particular  thing  to  tell  you,  let  her  take  the 
female  attendant  of  the  house,  a young  girl,  a 
widow,  or  a married  woman.  She  cannot  be  so 
ignorant  of  the  rules  of  human  life  as  to  expect  to 
have  you  as  the  only  one  to  whom  she  can  trust 
those  things.” 

It  would  be  easy  to  cite  a great  number  of  other 
remarkable  passages  where  Jerome  showed  himself 
the  most  determined  and  implacable  opponent  of 
those  secret  tete-d-tHe  between  a priest  and  a 
female,  which,  under  the  plausible  pretext  of  mu- 
tual advice  and  spiritual  consolation,  are  generally 
nothing  but  bottomless  pits  of  infamy  and  perdi- 
tion for  both.  But  this  is  enough. 

We  have  also  the  admirable  life  of  St.  Paulina, 
written  by  St.  Jerome.  And,  though  in  it,  he  gives 
us  every  imaginable  detail  of  her  life  when  young, 
married,  and  widow ; though  he  tells  us  even  how 
her  bed  was  composed  of  the  simplest  and  rudest 
materials ; he  has  not  a word  about  her  ever  hav- 
ing gone  to  confess.  J erome  speaks  of  the 

acquaintances  of  St.  Paulina,  and  gives  their 
names  ; he  enters  into  the  minutest  details  of  her 


230  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

long  voyages,  her  charities,  her  foundations  of 
monasteries  for  men  and  women,  her  temptations^ 
human  frailties,  heroic  virtues,  her  macerations, 
^nd  her  holy  death  ; but  he  has  not  a word  to  say 
about  the  frequent  or  oracular  confessions  of  St. 
Paulina;  not  a word  about  her  v»^isdom  in  the 
choice  of  a prudent  and  holy  (?)  confessor. 

He  tells  us  that  after  her  death,  her  body  wag 
carried  to  her  grave  on  the  shoulders  of  bishops 
and  priests,  as  a token  of  their  profound  respect 
for  the  saint.  But  he  never  says  that  any  of  those 
priests  sat  there,  in  a dark  corner  with  her,  and 
forced  her  to  reveal  to  their  ears  the  secret  history 
of  all  the  thoughts,  desires,  and  human  frailties  of 
her  long  and  eventful  life.  Jerome  is  an  unim- 
peachable witness  that  his  saintly  and  noble  friend, 
St.  Paulina,  lived  and  died  without  having  ever 
thought  of  going  to  confess. 

Possidius  has  left  us  the  interesting  life  of 
St.  Augustine,  of  the  fifth  century  ; and,  again, 
it  is  in  vain  that  we  look  for  the  place  and  time 
when  that  celebrated  Bishop  of  Hippo  went  to 
confess,  or  heard  the  secret  confessions  of  his 
people. 

More  than  that,  St.  Augustine  has  written  a 
most  admirable  book  called:  ‘‘Confessions,”  in 
which  he  gives  us  the  history  of  his  life.  With 


thp:  priest,  woman  and  confessional.  231 

that  marvellous  book  in  hand  we  follow  him  step 
by  step,  wherever  he  goes ; we  attend  with  him 
those  celebrated  schools,  where  his  faith  and  mO' 
rality  were  so  sadly  wrecked  ; he  takes  us  with  him 
into  the  garden  where,  wavering  between  heaven 
and  hell,  bathed  in  tears,  he  goes  under  the  fig-tree 
and  cries  ‘^Oh  Lord!  how  long  will  I remain  in 
my  iniquities!  ” Our  soul  thrills  with  emotions, 
with  his  soul,  when  we  hear  with  him,  the  sweet 
and  mysterious  voice:  ‘‘Tolle!  lege!”  take  and 
read.  We  run  with  him  to  the  place  wliere  he  has 
left  his  gospel  book ; with  a trembling  hand,  we 
open  it  and  we  read  : Let  us  walk  honestly  as  in 

the  day . . . .put  ye  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  ...” 
(Rom.  xiii.  13,  14.) 

That  incomparable  book  of  St.  Augustine  makes 
us  weep  and  shout  with  joy  with  him  ; it  initiates 
us  into  all  his  most  secret  actions,  to  all  his  sor- 
rows, anxieties,  and  joys  ; it  reveals  and  unveils 
his  whole  life.  It  tells  us  where  he  goes,  with 
whom  he  sins,  and  with  whom  he  praises  God  ; it 
makes  us  pray,  sing,  and  bless  the  Lord  with  him. 
Is  it  possible  that  Augustine  could  have  been  to 
confess  without  telling  us  when,  where,  and  to 
whom  he  made  that  auricular  confession  ? Could 
he  have  received  the  absolution  and  pardon  of  his 
sins  from  his  confessor,  without  making  us  partak- 


2o2  THE  PRIES'!,  AVOMAN  AKD  CONFESSIONAL. 

ers  of  his  joys,  and  requesting  us  to  bless  that  con* 
fessor  with  him  ? 

But  it  is  in  vain  that  you  look  in  that  book  for  a 
single  word  about  auricular  confession.  That  book 
is  an  unimpeachable  witness  that  both  Augustine 
and  his  saintly  mother,  Monica,  whom  it  mentions 
30  often,  lived  and  died  without  ever  having  been 
to  confess.  That  book  may  be  called  the  most 
crushing  evidence  to  prove  that  ^^the  dogma  of 
auricular  confession  ” is  a modern  imposture. 

From  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  that  book,  we 
see  that  Augustine  believed  and  said  that  God 
alone  could  forgive  the  sins  of  men,  and  that  it  was 
to  him  alone  that  men  had  to  confess  in  order  to  be 
pardoned.  If  he  writes  his  confession,  it  is  only 
that  the  world  might  know  how  God  had  been  mer- 
ciful to  him,  and  that  they  might  help  him  to  praise 
and  bless  his  merciful  heavenly  father.  In  the 
tenth  book  of  his  Confessions,  Chapter  III.,  Augus- 
tine protests  against  the  idea  that  men  could  do 
anything  to  cure  the  spiritual  leper,  or  forgive  the 
sins  of  their  fellow-men  ; here  is  his  eloquent  pro- 
test : Quid  mihi  ergo  est  cum  hominibus  ut  audi- 

ant  confessiones,  meas,  quasi  ipsi  sanaturi  sint 
languores  meas  ? Curiosum  genus  ad  cognescend- 
am  vitam  alienam ; desidiosurn  ad  corrigend- 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  23S 

“ What  have  I to  do  with  men  that  they  should 
hear  my  confessions,  as  if  they  were  able  to  heal  my 
infirmities?  The  human  race  is  very  curious  to 
know  another  person’s  life,  but  very  lazy  to  cor- 
rect it.” 

Before  Augustine  had  built  up  that  sublime  and 
imperishable  monument  against  auricular  confes- 
sion, St.  John  Chrysostom  had  raised  his  eloquent 
voice  against  it  in  his  homily  on  the  50th  Psalm, 
where,  speaking  in  the  name  of  the  church,  he  said  : 
‘‘We  do  not  request  you  to  go  to  confess  your  sins 
to  any  of  your  fellow-men,  but  only  to  God ! 

Nestorius,  of  the  fourth  century,  the  predecessor 
of  John  Chrysostom,  had,  by  a public  defence, 
which  the  best  Roman  Catholic  historians  have 
had  to  acknowledge,  solemnly  forbidden  the  prac- 
tice of  auricular  confession.  For,  just  as  there  has 
always  been  thieves,  drunkards,  and  malefactors  in 
i he  world,  so  there  has  always  been  men  and 
women  who,  under  the  pretext  of  opening  their 
minds  to  each  other  for  mutual  comfort  and  edifi- 
cation, were  giving  themselves  to  every  kind  of 
iniquity  and  lust.  The  celebrated  Chrysostom  was 
only  giving  the  sanction  of  his  authority  to  what 
his  predecessor  had  done,  when,  thundering  against 
the  newly-born  monster,:  he  said  to  the  Christians 
of  his  time,  “ We  do  not  ask  you  to  go  and  confess 


234  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

your  iniquities  to  a sinful  man  for  pardon — but  only 
to  God.”  (Homily  on  50th  Psalm.) 

Auricular  confession  originated  with  the  early 
heretics,  especially  with  Marcion.  Bellarmin 
speaks  of  it  as  something  to  be  practiced.  But  let 
us  hear  what  the  contemporary  writers  have  to  say 
on  the  question. 

Certain  women  were  in  the  habit  of  going  to 
the  heretic  Marcion  to  confess  their  sins  to  him. 
But,  as  he  was  smitten  witli  their  beauty,  and  they 
loved  him  also,  they  abandoned  themselves  to  sin 
with  him.” 

Listen  now  to  what  St.  Basil  in  his  commentary 
on  Ps.  xxxvii,  says  of  confession  : 

‘‘I  have  not  come  before  the  world  to  make  a 
confession  with  my  lips.  But  I close  my  eyes,  and 
confess  my  sins  in  the  secret  of  my  heart.  Be*fore 
thee,  O God,  I pour  out  my  sighs,  and  thou  alone 
art  the  witness.  My  groans  are  within  my  souk 
There  is  no  need  of  many  words  to  confess  : sorrow 
and  regret  are  the  best  confession.  Yes,  the  lamen- 
tations of  the  soul,  which  thou  art  pleased  to  hear, 
are  the  best  confession.” 

Chrysostom,  in  his  homily,  De  Psenitentia,  vol. 
IV.,  col.  901,  has  the  following:  ‘‘You  need  no 

witnesses  of  your  confession.  Secretly  acknowledge 
your  sins,  and  let  God  alone  hear  you.” 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  2Sr 

In  his  homily  V.,  De  incomprehensibili  De. 
natiira,  vol.  I.,  he  says:  ‘‘Therefore,  I beseech 

you,  always  confess  your  sins  to  God!  I,  in  no 
way,  ask  you  to  confess  them  to  me.  To  God  alone 
should  you  expose  the  wounds  of  your  soul,  and 
from  him  alone  expect  the  cure.  Go  to  him,  then, 
and  you  shall  not  be  cast  otf,  but  healed.  For, 
before  you  utter  a single  word,  God  knows  your 
prayer.” 

In  his  commentary  on  Heb.  XII.,  horn.  XXXI., 
vol.  XII.,  p.  289,  he  further  says  : “ Let  us  not  be 
content  with  calling  ourselves  sinners.  But  let  us 
examine  and  number  our  sins.  And  then  I do  not 
tell  you  to  go  and  confess  them,  according  to  the 
caprice  of  some ; but  I will  say  to  you,  with  the 
prophet : ‘ Confess  your  sins  before  God,  acknowl- 
edge your  iniquities  at  the  feet  of  your  Judge  ; 
pray  in  your  heart  and  your  mind,  if  not  with  your 
tongue,  and  you  shall  be  pardoned.’  ” 

In  his  homily  on  Ps.  I.,  vol.  V.,  p.  589,  the 
same  Chrysostom  says  : “ Confess  your  sins  every 
day  in  prayer.  Why  should  you  hesitate  to  do  so? 
I do  not  tell  you  to  go  and  confess  to  a man,  sin- 
ner as  you  are,  and  who  might  despise  you  if  he 
knew  your  faults.  But  confess  them  to  God,  who 
can  forgive  them  to  you.” 

In  his  admirable  homily  IV..  De  Lazaro,  vol.  I,, 


236  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAJSl  AJSID  OONIE&SIONAL. 

p.  757,  lie  exclaims:  Why,  tell  me,  should  you 

be  ashamed  to  confess  your  sins  ? Do  we  compel 
you  to  reveal  them  to  a man,  who  might,  one  day, 
throw  them  into  j^our  face  ? Are  you  commanded 
to  confess  them  to  one  of  your  equals,  who  could 
publish  them  and  ruin  you  ? What  we  ask  of  you 
is  simply  to  show  the  sores  of  your  soul  to  your 
Lord  and  Master,  who  is  also  your  friend,  your 
guardian,  and  physician.” 

In  a small  work  of  Chrysostom’s,  entitled,  Cate- 
ihesis  ad  illuminandos,”  vol.  II.,  p.  210,  we  read 
these  remarkable  words  : What  we  should  most 

admire  is  not  that  God  forgives  our  sins,  but  that 
he  does  not  disclose  them  to  anyone,  nor  wishes  us 
to  do  so.  What  he  demands  of  us  is  to  confess  our 
transgressions  to  him  alone  to  obtain  pardon.” 

St.  Augustine,  in  his  beautiful  homily  on  the 
31st  Ps.,  says : ‘‘I  shall  confess  my  sins  to  God, 
and  He  will  pardon  all  my  iniquities.  And  such 
confession  is  not  made  with  the  lips,  but  with  the 
heart  only.  I had  hardly  opened  my  mouth  to  cou 
fess  my  sins  when  they  were  pardoned,  for  God  had 
already  heard  the  voice  of  my  heart.” 

In  the  edition  of  the  Fathers  by  Migne,  vol.  67, 
pp.  614,  615,  we  read  : About  the  year  390,  the 

office  of  penitentiary  was  abolished  in  the  church  in 
consequence  of  a great  scandal  given  by  a woman 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  237 

who  publicly  accused  herself  of  having  committed 
a crime  against  chastity  with  a deacon.” 

I know  that  the  advocates  of  auricular  confession 
present  to  their  silly  dupes  several  passages  of  the 
Holy  Fathers,  where  it  is  said  that  sinners  were 
going  to  that  priest  or  that  bishop  to  confess  their 
sins  : but  this  is  a most  dishonest  way  of  present- 
ing that  fact — for  it  is  evident  to  all  those  who  are 
a little  acquainted  with  the  church  history  of  those 
times,  that  these  referred  only  to  the  public  confes- 
sions for  public  transgressions  through  the  oflBce 
of  the  penitentiary. 

The  office  of  the  penitentiary  was  this : — In  every 
large  city,  a priest  or  minister  was  specially  ap- 
pointed to  preside  over  the  diurch  meetings  where 
the  members  who  had  committed  public  sins  were 
obliged  to  confess  then  publicly  before  the  assem- 
bly, in  order  to  be  reii^sta^ed  in  the  privileges  of 
their  membership  : and  that  minister  had  the  charge 
of  reading  or  pronouncing  the  sentence  of  pardon 
granted  by  the  church  to  the  guilty  ones  before 
they  could  be  admitted  again  to  communion.  This 
was  perfectly  in  accordance  with  what  St.  Paul  had 
done  with  regard  to  the  incestuous  one  of  Corinth  ; 
that  scandalous  sinner  who  had  cast  obloquy  on  the 
Christian  name,  but  who,  after  confessing  and 
^veenin^  over  his  sins  before  the  church,  obtained 


238  THE  vVOiMA-N  -A.HD  CONX^  ESSION^L* 

his  pardon — not  from  a priest  in  whose  ears  he  had 
whispered  all  the  details  of  his  incestuous  inter- 
course, but  from  tlie  whole  church  assembled.  St. 
Paul  gladly  approves  the  Church  of  Corinth  in  thus 
absolving,  and  receiving  again  in  their  midst,  a 
wandering  but  repenting  brother. 

When  the  Holy  Fathei^s  of  the  first  centuries 
speak  of  ‘‘confession”  they  invariably  undei'stand 
“public  confessions”  and  not  auiucular  confess 
sion. 

There  is  as  much  difference  between  such  public 
confessions  and  auricular  confessions,  as  there  is 
between  heaven  and  hell,  between  God  and  his 
great  enemy,  Satan. 

Public  confession,  then,  dates  from  the  time  of 
the  apostles,  and  is  still  practiced  in  Protestant 
churches  of  our  day.  But  auricular  confession  was 
unknown  by  the  first  disciples  of  Christ ; as  it  is 
rejected  to-day,  with  horror,  by  all  the  true  fol- 
lowers of  the  Son  of  God. 

Erasmus,  one  of  the  most  learned  Boman  Cath- 
olics who  opposed  the  Reformation  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  so  admhably  begun  by  Luther  and  Calvin^ 
fearlessly  and  honestly  makes  the  following  declar- 
ation in  his  treatise,  De  Psenitentia,  Dis.  6 : “ This 
institution  of  penance  [auricular  confession]  began 
rather  of  some  tradition  of  the  Old  or  New  Testa- 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  239 

meat.  But  our  divines,  not  advisedly  considering 
what  the  old  doctors  do  say,  are  deceived,  that 
which  they  say  of  general  and  open  confession,  they 
wrest,  by  and  by,  to  this  secret  and  privy  kind  of 
confession.” 

It  is  a public  fact,  which  no  learned  Roman  Cath- 
olic has  ever  denied,  that  auricular  confession  be- 
came a dogma  and  obligatory  practice  of  the  church 
only  at  the  Council  of  Lateran  in  the  year  1215, 
under  the  Pope  Innocent  III.  Not  a single  trace 
of  auricular  confession,  as  a dogma,  can  be  found 
before  that  year. 

Thus,  it  has  taken  more  than  twelve  hundred 
years  of  efforts  for  Satan  to  bring  out  this  master- 
piece of  his  inventions  to  conquer  the  world  and 
destroy  the  souls  of  men. 

Little  by  little,  that  imposture  had  crept  into  the 
world,  just  as  the  shadows  of  a stormy  night  creep 
without  anyone  being  able  to  note  the  moment 
when  the  first  rays  of  light  gave  way  before  the 
dark  clouds.  We  know  very  well  when  the  sun 
was  shining,  we  know  when  it  was  very  dark  all 
over  the  world  ; but  no  one  can  tell  positively  when 
the  first  rays  of  light  faded  away.  So  saitli  the 
Lord : 

The  kingdom  of  Heaven  is  likened  unto  a man  ' 
which,  sowed  good  seed  in  his  field. 


240  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

‘‘But  while  men  slept,  his  enemy  came  and 
sowed  tares  among  the  wlieat  and  went  his  way. 

“ But  when  the  blade  was  sprung  up,  and  brought 
forth  fruit,  there  appeared  the  tares  also. 

“ So  the  servants  of  the  householder  came  and 
said  unto  him  : Sir,  didst  not  thou  sow  good  seed 
in  thy  field  ? From  whence  then  hath  it  tares  ? 

“He  said  unto  them:  An  enemy  hath  done 
this.”  (Matt.  xiii.  24-28.) 

Yes,  the  Good  Master  tells  us  that  the  enemy 
sowed  those  tares  in  his  field  during  the  night — 
when  men  were  sleeping. 

But  he  does  not  tell  us  precisely  the  hour  of  the 
night  when  the  enemy  cast  the  tares  among  the 
wheat. 

However,  if  anyone^  likes  to  know  how  fearfully 
dark  was  the  night  which  covered  the  “ Kingdom,” 
and  how  cruel,  implacable,  and  savage  was  the 
enemy  who  sowed  the  tares,  let  him  read  the  tes- 
timony of  the  most  devoted  and  learned  cardinals 
whom  Borne  has  ever  had,  Baronius,  Annals, 
Anno  900  : 

“It  is  evident  that  one  can  scarcely  believe 
what  unworthy,  base,  execrable,  and  abominable 
things  the  holy  Apostolic  See,  which  is  the  pivot 
upon  which  the  whole  Catholic  Church  revolves, 
was  forced  to  endure,  when  princes  of  the  age, 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  241 

though  Christians,  arrogated  to  themselves  the 
election  of  the  Roman  Pontiffs.  Alas,  the  shame  ! 
alas,  the  grief!  What  monsters,  horrible  to  be- 
hold, were  then  intruded  on  the  Holy  See  ! What 
evils  ensued  ! What  tragedies  they  perpetrated  ! 
With  what  pollutions  was  this  See,  though  itself 
without  spot,  then  stained  ! With  what  corrup- 
tions infected  ! With  what  jilthiness  defiled  ! And 
hy  these  things  hlackened  with  perjgetual  infamy  ! 
(Baronius,  Annals,  Anno,  900.) 

Est  plane,  ut  vix  aliquis  credat,  immo,  nec  vix 
qnidem  sit  crediturus,  nisi  suis  inspiciat  ipse  oculis, 
manibusque  contractat,  quam  indigna,  quamque 
tnrpia  atque  deformia,  execranda  insuper  et  abom- 
iiicinda  sit  coacta  pati  sacrosancta  apostolica  sedes, 
in  cujus  cardine  universa  Ecclesia  catholica  vertitur, 
oim  principes  sseculi  hujus,  quantumlibet  christiani, 
hac  tamen  ex  parte  dicendi  tyrrani  ssevissimi,  ar- 
rogaverunt  sibi,  tirannice,  electionem  Romanorum 
pontificum.  Quot  tunc  ab  eis,  proh  pudor ! pro 
dolor  ! in  eamdem  sedem,  angelis  reverandam,  visu 
horrenda  intrusa  sunt  monstra  ? Quot  ex  eis  oborta 
sunt  mala,  consummatse  tragedise  ! Quibus  tunc 
ipsam  sine  macula  et  sine  ruga  contigit  aspergi 
sordibus,  purtoribus  infici,  in  quinati  spurcitiis,  ex 
Bisque  perpetua  infamia  denigrari !” 


CHAPTEE  X. 


GOD  COMPELS  THE  CHURCH  OF  ROME  TO  CONFESS  THE 
ABOMINATIONS  OF  AURICULAR  CONFES)iiION. 

HE  Priests  of  Eoine  resort  to  various  means  in 


order  to  deceive  the  people  on  the  immoralitcy 
resulting  from  auricular  confession.  One  of  tlieir 
favorite  stratagems  is  to  quote  some  disconnected 
passages  from  theologians,  recommending  caution 
on  the  part  of  the  priest,  in  questioning  his  peni- 
tents on  delicate  subjects,  should  he  see  or  appre*- 
hend  any  danger  for  the  latter  of  being  sliocked 
by  his  questions.  True,  there  are  such  prudent 
theologians,  who  seem  to  realize  more  than  others 
the  real  danger  cf  the  priest  in  confession.  But 
those  wise  counselors  resemble  very  much  a father 
who  would  allow’  his  child  to  put  his  fingers  in  the 
fire,  while  advising  him  to  be  cautious  U>st  he 
should  burn  those  fingers.  There  is*just  as  much 
wisdom  in  the  one  case  as  there  would  be  in  the 
other.  What  would  you  say  of  a bi’utal  parent 
casting  a young,  weak  and  inexperienced  boy  among 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  24S 

wild  beasts,  witli  the  foolish  and  cruel  expectation 
that  his  prudence  miglit  save  him  from  injury? 

Such  theologians  may  be  perfectly  honest  in  giv- 
ing such  advice,  although  it  is  anything  but  wise  or 
reasonable.  But  those  are  far  from  being  honest 
or  true  who  contend  that  the  Church  of  Borne,  in 
commanding  everyone  to  confess  all  his  sins  to  the 
priests,  has  made  an  exception  in  favor  of  sins 
against  chastity.  This  is  only  so  much  dust  thrown 
in  the  eyes  of  Protestants  and  ignorant  people,  to 
prevent  them  from  seeing  through  the  frightful 
mysteries  of  confession. 

When  the  Council  of  Lateran  decided  that  every 
adult,  of  either  sex,  should  confess  all  their  sins  to 
a priest,  at  least  once  a year,  there  was  no  excep- 
tions made  for  any  special  class  of  sins,  not  even 
for  those  committed  against  modesty  or  purity. 
And  when  the  Council  of  Trent  ratified  or  renewed 
the  previous  decision,  no  exception  was  made, 
either,  of  the  sins  in  question.  They  were  expected 
and  ordered  to  be  confessed,  as  all  other  sins. 

The  law  of  both  Councils  is  still  unrepealed  and 
binding  for  all  sins,  without  any  exception.  It  is 
imperative,  absolute  ; and  every  good  Catholic, 
man  or  woman,  must  submit  to  it  by  confessing 
his  or  her  sins,  at  least  once  a year. 

I have  in  my  hand  Butler’s  Catechism,  approved 


244  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

bj  several  bishops  of  Quebec.  On  page  62,  it 
reads,  ^‘that  all  penitents  should  examine  them- 
selves on  the  capital  sins,  and  confess  them  all, 
without  exception,  under  penalty  of  eternal  damna- 
tion.” 

The  celebrated  controversial  oatechism  of  Ed. 
Stephen  Keenan,  approved  by  all  the  bishops  of 
Ireland,  positively  says  (page  186) : The  peni- 

tent must  confess  all  his  sins.” 

Therefore,  the  young  and  timid  girl,  the  chaste 
and  modest  woman,  must  think  of  shameful  deeds 
and  fill  their  minds  with  impure  ideas,  in  order  to 
confess  to  an  unmarried  man  whatever  they  may  be 
guilty  of,  however  repugnant  may  be  to  them  such 
confession,  or  dangerous  to  the  priest  who  is  bound 
to  hear  and  even  demand  it.  No  one  is  exempt 
from  the  loathsome,  and  often  polluting  task.  Both 
priest  and  penitent  are  required  and  compelled  to 
go  through  the  fiery  ordeal  of  contamination  and 
shame.  They  are  bound,  on  every  particular,  the 
one  to  ask,  and  the  other  to  answer,  under  penalty 
of  eternal  damnation. 

Such  is  the  rigorous,  indexible  law  of  the  Church 
of  Eome  with  regard  to  confession.  It  is  taught 
not  only  in  works  of  fheology  or  from  the  pulpit, 
but  in  prayer-books  and  various  other  religious  pub- 
lications. It  is  so  deeply  impressed  in  the  minds 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  245 

of  Koinanists  as  to  have  become  a part  of  their  re- 
ligion. Such  is  the  law  which  the  priest  himself 
has  to  obey,  and  which  puts  his  penitents  at  his 
own  discretion. 

But  there  are  husbands  with  a jealous  disposition, 
who  would  little  fancy  the  idea  of  bachelors  confess- 
ing their  wives,  if  they  knew  exactly  what  ques- 
tions they  have  to  answer  in  confession.  There  are 
fathers  and  mothers  who  don’t  like  much  to  see 
their  daughters  alone  with  a man,  behind  a curtain, 
and  who  would  certainly  tremble  for  their  honor 
and  virtue  if  they  knew  all  the  abominable  myster- 
ies of  confession.  It  is  necessary,  therefore,  to  keep 
these  people,  as  much  as  possible,  in  ignorance, 
and  pee  vent  light  from  reaching  that  empire  of 
darkness,  the  confessional.  In  that  view,  confessors 
are  advised  to  be  cautious  on  those  matters;”  to 
‘‘broach  these  questions  in  a sort  of  covert  way, 
and  with  the  greatest  reserve.”  For  it  is  very  de- 
sirable “ not  to  shock  modesty,  neither  frighten 
the  penitent  nor  grieve  her.  Sins,  however,  must 
be  confessed.” 

Such  is  the  prudent  advice  given  to  the  confessor 
on  certain  occasions.  In  the  hands  or  under  the 
command  of  Liguori,  Father  Gury,  Scavani,  or 
other  casuists,  the  priest  is  a sort  of  general,  sent 
during  the  night,  to  storm  a citadel  or  a strong 


^46  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAE. 

position,  having  for  order  to  operate  cautiously,  and 
before  daylight.  His  mission  is  one  of  darkness 
and  violence,  and  cruelty  ; above  all,  it  is  a mission 
of  supreme  cunning,  for  when  the  Pope  commands, 
the  priest,  as  his  loyal  soldier,  must  be  ready  to 
obey  ; • but  always  with  a mask  or  blind  before  him, 
to  conceal  his  object.  However,  many  a time,  after 
the  place  has  been  captured  by  dint  of  strategy  and 
secrecy,  the  poor  soldier  is  left,  badly  wounded  and 
completely  disabled,  on  the  battle-field.  He  has 
paid  dearly  for  his  victory  ; but  the  conquered  cit- 
adel has  also  received  an  injury  from  which  it  may 
never  recover.  The  crafty  priest  has  gained  his 
point : he  has  succeeded  in  persuading  his  lady 
penitent  that  there  was  no  impropriety,  that  it  was 
even  necessary  for  them  to  have  a parley  on  things 
that  made  her  blush  a few  moments  before.  She 
is  soon  so  well  convinced,  that  she  would  swear 
that  there  is  nothing  wrong  in  confession.  Truly 
this  is  a fulfillment  of  the  words : ‘‘Abyssus  abyssum 
invocat,”  an  abyss  calls  for  another  abj^ss. 

Have  the  Romish  theologians — Gury,  Scavani, 
Liguori,  etc. — ever  been  honest  enough,  in  their 
works  on  confession,  to  say  that  the  Most  Holy 
God  could  never  command  or  require  woman  to 
degrade  and  pollute  herself  and  the  priest  in  pouring 
into  the  ear  of  a frail  and  sinful  mortal,  words  unfit 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  247 

even  for  an  angel  ? No  ; they  were  very  careful 
not  to  say  so ; for,  from  that  very  moment,  their 
shameless  lies  would  have  been  exposed ; the  stu- 
pendous, but  weak  structure  of  auricular  confession, 
would  fall  to  the  ground,  with  sad  havoc  and  ruin 
to  its  unholders.  Men  and  women  would  open 
their  eyes,  and  see  its  weakness  and  fallacy.  If 
God,”  they  might  say,  ^‘can  forgive  our  most 
grievous  sins  against  modesty,  without  confessing 
them.  He  can  and  will  certainly  do  the  same  with 
those  of  less  gravity  ; therefore  there  is  no  necess- 
ity or  occasion  for  us  to  confess  to  a priest.” 

But  those  shrewd  casuists  knew  too  well  that,  by 
such  frank  declaration,  they  would  soon  lose  their 
hold  on  Catholic  populations,  especially  on  women, 
by  whom,  through  confession,  they  rule  the  world. 
They  much  prefer  to  keep  their  grip  on  benighted 
minds,  frightened  consciences,  and  trembling  souls. 
No  wonder,  then,  that  they  fully  endorse  and  con- 
firm the  decisions  of  the  councils  of  Lateran  and 
Trent,  ordering  ‘‘that  all  sins  must  be  confessed 
such  as  God  knows  them.”  No  wonder  that  they 
try  their  best  or  worst  to  overcome  the  natural  re- 
pugnance of  women  for  making  such  confessions, 
and  to  conceal  the  terrible  dangers  for  the  priosts 
in  hearing  the  same. 

However.^  God,  in  his  infinite  mercy,  and  for  the 


248  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

sake  of  truth,  has  compelled  the  Church  of  Eome 
to  acknowledge  the  moral  dangers  and  corrupting 
tendencies  of  auricular  confession.  In  His  eternal 
wisdom.  He  knew  that  Roman  Catholics  would 
close  their  ears  to  whatever  might  be  said  by  the 
disciples  of  gospel  truth,  of  the  demoralising  inflm 
ence  of  that  institution ; that  they  would  even  reply 
with  insult  and  fallacy  to  the  words  of  truth  kindly 
addressed  to  them,  just  as  the  Jews  of  old  returned 
hatred  and  insult  to  the  good  Saviour  who  was 
bringing  them  the  glad  tidings  of  a free  salvation. 
He  knew  that  Romish  devotees,  led  astray  by  their 
priests,  would  call  the  apostles  of  truth,  liars,  se- 
ducers, possessed  of  the  devil,  as  Christ  was  con- 
stantly called  a demoniac,  an  impostor,  and  finally 
put  to  death  by  His  false  accusers. 

That  great  God,  as  compassionate  now  as  He 
was  then,  for  the  poor  benighted  and  deluded  souls, 
has  wrought  a real  miracle  to  open  the  eyes  of  the 
Roman  Catholics,  and  compel  them,  as  it  were,  to 
believe  us,  when  we  say,  on  His  authority,  that 
auricular  confession  was  invented  by  Satan  to  ruin 
both  the  priest  and  his  female  penitents,  for  time 
and  eternity.  For,  what  we  would  never  have 
dared  to  say  of  ourself  to  the  Roman  Catholics  with 
regard  to  what  frequently  happens  between  their 
priests  and  their  wives  and  daugliters,  either  during 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL>  249 

or  after  confession,  God  has  constrained  the  Church 
of  Rome  to  acknowledge  herself,  in  revealing  things 
that  would  have  seemed  incredible,  had  they  coma 
simply  from  our  mouth  or  our  pen.  In  this,  as  in 
other  instances,  that  apostate  Church  has  unwit 
tingly  been  the  mouth-piece  of  God  for  the  accom 
plishment  of  His  great  and  merciful  ends. 

Listen  to  the  questions  that  the  Church  of  Rome^ 
through  her  theologians,  puts  to  every  priest  after 
he  has  heard  the  confession  of  your  wives  or 
daughters  : 

1.  ‘^Nonne  inter  audiendas  confessiones  quaS' 
dam  proposui  questiones  circa  sextum  decalogi 
prececeptum  cum  intentione  libidinosa  ? (Miroir 
du  Clerg^,  p.  582.) 

‘‘While  hearing  confessions,  have  I not  asked 
questions  on  sins  against  the  sixth  (seventh  in  the 
Decalogue)  commandment,  with  the  intention  of 
satisfying  my  evil  passions?  ” 

Such  is  the  man,  O mothers  and  daughters,  to 
whom  you  dare  to  unbosom  the  most  secret,  as  well 
as  the  most  shameful  actions  You  kneel  down  at 
his  feet  and  whisper  in  his  ear  your  most  intimate 
thoughts  and  desires,  and  your  most  polluting 
deeds  ; because  your  church,  by  dint  of  cunning 
and  sophistry,  has  succeeded  in  persuading  you 
that  there  was  no  impropriety  or  danger  in  doing 


250  THE  PEIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

SO  ; that  tlie  man  whom  you  choose  for  your  spirit^ 
ual  guide  and  confident,  could  never  be  tempted  or 
tainted  by  such  foul  recitals.  But  that  same 
Church,  through  some  mysterious  providence,  is 
made  to  acknowledge,  in  her  own  books,  her  own 
lies.  In  spite  of  herself,  she  admits  that  there  is 
real  danger  in  confession,  both  for  the  woman  and 
for  the  priest ; that  willingly  or  otherwise,  and 
sometimes  both  unawares,  they  lay  for  each  other 
dangerous  snares.  The  Church  of  Rome,  as  if  she 
had  an  evil  conscience  for  allowing  her  priest  to 
hold  such  close  and  secret  converse  with  a woman, 
on  such  delicate  subjects,  keeps,  as  it  were,  a 
watchful  eye  on  him,  wliile  the  poor  misguided 
woman  is  pouring  in  his  ear  the  filthy  burden  of 
her  soul ; and  as  soon  as  she  is  off,  questions  the 
priest  as  to  the  purity  of  his  motives,  the  honesty 
of  his  intentions  in  putting  the  requisite  questions. 

Have  you  not,”  she  asks  him  immediately,  un- 
der the  pretence  of  helping  that  woman  in  her  con- 
fession, put  to  her  certain  questions  simply  in  order 
to  gratify  your  lust,  and  with  the  object  of  satisfy- 
ing your  evil  propensities  ? ” 

2.  ^ ^Nonne  munus  audiendi  confessiones  suscepi^ 
aut  peregi  ex  prava  incontinentice  appettentia  ? ” 
(Idem,  p.  582.)  Have  I not  repaired  to  the  con- 
fessional and  heard  confessions  with  the  intention 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  251 

of  gratifying  my  evil  passions?’’  (Miroir  du 
Clerge,  p.  582.) 

O ye  women!  who  tremble  like  slaves  at  the 
feet  of  the  priests,  you  admire  the  patience  and 
charity  of  those  good  (?)  priests,  who  are  willing  to 
spend  so  many  long  and  tedious  hours  in  hearing 
the  confession  of  your  secret  sins;  and  you  hardly 
know  how  to  express  your  gratitude  for  so  much 
kindness  and  charity.  But,  hush,  listen  to  the 
voice  of  God  speaking  to  the  conscience  of  the 
priest,  through  the  Church  of  Rome  ! 

‘‘Have  you  not,”  she  asks  him,  “heard  the 
confession  of  women  simply  to  foster  or  gratify  the 
grovelling  passions  of  your  fallen  nature  and  cor- 
rupt heart?  ” 

Please  notice,  it  is  not  I,  or  the  enemies  of  your 
religion,  who  put  to  your  priests  the  above  ques- 
tions ; it  is  God  Himself,  who,  in  His  pity  and 
compassion  for  you,  compels  your  owm  Church  to 
ask  such  questions  ; that  your  eyes  may  be  opened, 
and  that  you  may  be  rescued  from  all  the  danger- 
ous obscenities  and  the  humiliating  and  degrading 
slavery  of  auricular  confession.  It  is  God’s  will  to 
deliver  you  from  such  bondage  and  degradation. 
.In  His  tender  mercies  He  has  provided  means  to 
drag  you  out  of  that  cesspool,  called  confession ; 
to  break  the  chains  which  bind  you  to  the  feet  of 


252  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

a miserable  and  blasphemous  sinner  called  con- 
fessor, who,  under  the  pretence  of  being  able  ta 
pardon  your  sins,  usurps  the  place  of  your  Saviour 
and  your  God  ! For  while  you  are  whispering  your 
sins  in  his  ear,  God  says  to  him  through  his  Church, 
in  tones  loud  enough  to  be  heard : ‘‘In  hearing  the 
confession  of  these  women,  are  you  not  actuated  by 
lust,  spurred  by  evil  passions  ? ” 

Is  this  not  sufficient  to  warn  you  of  the  danger  of 
auricular  confession?  Can  you  now,  with  any 
sense  of  safety  or  propriety,  come  to  that  priest, 
for  whom  your  very  confession  may  be  a snare,  a 
cause  of  fall  or  fearful  temptation  ? Can  you,  with 
a particle  of  honor  or  modesty,  willingly  expose 
yourself  to  the  impure  desires  of  your  confessors  ? 
Can  you,  with  any  sort  of  womanly  dignity,  con- 
sent to  entrust  that  man  with  your  inmost  thoughts 
and  desires,  your  most  humiliating  and  secret 
actions,  when  you  know  from  your  own  Church’s 
lips,  that  that  man  may  not  have  any  higher  ob- 
ject in  listening  to  your  confession  than  a lustful 
curiosity,  or  a sinful  desire  of  exciting  his  evil 
passions  ? 

3.  ‘‘Nonne  ex  auditis  in  confessione  occasionem 
sumjpsi  poenitentes  utriusque  sexus  ad  peccandum 
sollioitandi  f (Idem,  p.  582.) 

“ Have  I not  availed  myself  of  what  I heard  in 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  26b 

confession  to  induce  my  penitents  of  both  sexes  to 
commit  sin  ?” 

I would  run  a great  risk  of  being  treated  with 
the  utmost  contempt,  should  I dare  to  put  to  your 
priests  such  a question.  You  would  very  likely 
call  me  a scoundrel,  for  daring  to  question  the  hon- 
esty and  purity  of  such  holy  men.  You  would, 
perhaps,  go  as  far  as  to  contend  that  it  is  utterly 
impossible  for  them  to  be  guilty  of  such  sins  as  are 
alluded  to  in  the  above  question  ; that  never  such 
shameful  deeds  have  been  perpetrated  through  con- 
fession. And  you  would,  maybe,  emphatically 
deny  that  your  confessor  has  eVer  said  or  done  any- 
thing that  might  lead  you  to  sin  or  even  commit 
auy  breach  of  propriety  or  modesty.  You  feel 
perfectly  safe  on  that  score,  and  see  no  danger  to 
apprehend. 

Let  me  tell  you,  good  ladies,  that  you  are  al- 
together too  confident,  and  thus  you  are  kept  in 
the  most  fatal  delusion.  Your  own  Church,  through 
the  merciful  and  warning  voice  of  God  speaking  to 
the  conscience  of  your  own  theologians,  tells  you 
that  there  is  a real  and  imminent  danger,  where 
you  fancy  yourself  in  perfect  security.  You  may 
never  have  suspected  the  danger,  but  it  is  there, 
within  the  walls  of  the  confessional ; nay,  more,  it 
is  lurking  in  your  very  hearts,  and  that  of  your 


254  THE  PRIEST,  AV03IAN,  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

confessor.  He  may  hitherto  have  refrained  from 
tempting  you;  he  may,  at  least,  have  kept  within 
the  proper  limits  of  outward  morality  or  decency. 
But  nothing  warrants  you  that  he  may  not  be 
tempted  ; and  nothing  could  shield  you  from  his 
attempts  on  your  virtue,  should  he  give  way  to 
temptation,  as  cases  are  not  wanting  to  prove  the 
truth  of  my  assertion.  Ycu  are  sadly  mistaken  in 
a false  and  dangerous  security.  You  are,  although 
unawares,  on  the  very  brink  of  a precipice,  where 
so  many  have  fallen  through  their  blind  confidence 
in  their  own  strength,  or  their  confessor’s  prudence 
and  sanctity.  Your  own  Church  is  very  anxious 
about  your  own  safety;  she  trembles  for  your  iniio- 
cence  and  purity.  In  her  fear,  she  cautions  the 
priest  to  be  watchful  over  his  wicked  passions  and 
human  frailty.  How  dare  you  pretend  to  bo 
stronger  and  more  holy  than  your  confessor  is  in 
the  mind  of  your  own  Church  ? Wliy  should  you 
so  wilfully  imperil  your  chastity  or  modesty  ? 
Why  expose  yourself  to  danger,  when  it  could  be 
so  easily  avoided  ? IIow  can  you  be  so  rasli,  so 
devoid  of  common  prudence  and  modesty  as  to 
shamelessly  put  yourselves  in  a position  to  tempt 
and  be  tempted,  and  thereby  incur  your  temporal 
and  eternal  perdition  ? 

4.  Nonne  extra  tribunal^  vel,  in  ipso  C07ifesS' 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  255 

ionis  actu^  aliuqia  dixi  aut  egi  cum  intenticne  dior 
holiea  has  personas  seducendi?'^'^  (Idem,  idem). 

“Have  I not,  either  during  or  after  confession, 
done  or  said  certain  things  with  a diabolical  inten- 
tion of  seducing  my  female  patients?  ” 

“What  arch  enemy  of  our  holy  religion  is  so 
bold  and  impious  as  to  put  to  our  saintly  priests 
such  an  impudent  and  insulting  question?”  may 
ask  some  of  our  Homan  Catholic  readers.  It  is 
easy  to  answer.  This  great  enemy  of  your  relig- 
ion is  no  less  than  a justly  offended  God,  admon- 
ishing and  reproving  your  priests  for  exposing  both 
you  and  themselves  to  dangerous  allurements  and 
seductions.  It  is  His  ^^oicc  speaking  to  their  con- 
sciences, and  warning  them  of  the  danger  and  cor- 
ruption of  auricular  confession.  It  says  to  them : 
Beware  ! for  ye  might  be  tempted,  as  surely  you 
will  be,  to  do  or  say  something  against  honor  and 
purity. 

Husbands  aud  fathers ! who  rightly  value  the 
honor  of  your  wives  and  daughters  more  than  all 
treasures,  who  consider  it  too  precious  a boon  to  be 
exposed  to  the  dangers  of  pollution,  and  who  would 
prefer  to  lose  your  life  a thousand  times,  than  to 
see  those  you  love  most  on  earth  fall  in  the  snares 
of  the  seducer,  read  once  more  and  ponder  what 
your  Church  asks  the  priest,  after  he  has  heard 


256  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONALc 

your  wife  and  daughter  in  confession  : Have  you 

not,  either  during  or  after  confession,  done  or  said 
something  with  a diabolical  intention  of  seducing 
your  female  patients  ? ” ^ 

If  your  priest  remains  deaf  to  these  words  ad- 
dressed to  his  conscience,  you  cannot  help  giving 
heed  to  them  and  understanding  their  full  sig- 
nificance. You  cannot  be  easy  and  fear  nothing 
from  that  priest  in  those  close  interviews  with 
your  wives  and  daughters,  when  his  superiors  and 
your  own  Church  tremble  for  him,  and  question 
his  purity  and  honesty.  They  see  a great  danger 
for  both  the  confessor  and  his  penitent ; for  they 
know  that  confession  has,  many  a time,  been  the  pre- 
tence of  the  cause  of  the  most  shameful  seductions. 

If  there  were  no  real  danger  for  the  chastity  of 
women,  in  confessing  to  a man  their  most  secret 
sins,  do  you  believe  tliat  your  popes  and  theolo- 
gians would  be  so  stupid  as  to  acknowledge  it,  and 
put  to  confessors  questions  that  would  be  most 
insulting  and  out  of  place,  should  there  he  no  occa- 
sion for  them  ? 

Is  it  not  presun^ption  and  folly,  on  your  part,  to 
think  that  there  is  no  danger,  when  the  Church  of 
Home  tells  you,  positively,  that  there  is  danger, 
and  uses  the  strongest  terms  in  ‘expressing  her 
uneasiness  and  apjirehension  ? 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  257 

\/\iy  ! youi;  Cliurcli  sees  the  most  pressing  rea^ 
urns  to  fear  for  the  honor  of  your  wives  and  daugh^ 
tcrs,  as  well  as  for  the  chastity  of  her  priests ; and 
Btill  you  remain  unconcerned,  indifferent  to  the 
fearful  peril  to  which  they  are  exposed ! Are  you 
like  the  J ewish  people  of  old,  to  whom  it  was  said  : 
^^Hear  ye  indeed,  but  understand  not;  and  see  ye 
indeed,  but  perceive  not?  ” (Isa.  vi.  9). 

But  if  you  see  or  suspect  the  danger  you  are 
warned  of;  if  the  eye  of  your  intelligence  can 
fathom  the  dreadful  abyss  where  the  dearest  objects 
of  your  heart  are  in  danger  of  falling,  then  it  be- 
hoves you  to  keep  them  from  the  paths  that  lead 
to  the  fearful  chasm.  Do  not  wait  till  it  is  too  late, 
when  they  are  too  near  the  precipice  to  be  rescued. 
You  may  think  the  danger  to  be  far  off,  while  it  is 
near  at  hand.  Profit  by  the  sad  experience  of  so 
many  victims  of  confession  who  have  been  irretriev- 
ably lost,  irrecoverably  ruined  for  time  and  eternity. 
The  voice  of  your  conscience,  of  honor,  of  God 
Himself,  tells  you  that  it  may  soon  become  too 
late  to  save  them  from  destruction,  through  your 
neglect  and  procrastination.  While  thanking  God  for 
having  preserved  them  from  temptations  that  have 
proved  fatal  to  so  many  married  or  unmarried  wom- 
en, do  not  lose  a single  moment  in  taking  the  neces- 
sary means  to  keep  them  from  temptation  and  falls. 


258  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

Instead  of  allowing  them  to  go  and  kneel  at  the 
feet  of  a man  to  obtain  the  remission  of  their  sins, 
lead  them  to  the  djing  Saviour’s  feet,  the  only 
place  where  they  can  secure  pardon  and  peace 
everlasting.  And  why,  after  so  many  unfruitful 
attempts,  should  they  try  any  longer  to  wash  them- 
selves in  a puddle,  when  the  pure  waters  of  eternal 
life  are  olfered  them  so  freely  through  Christ  Jesus, 
their  only  Saviour  and  Mediator  ? 

Instead  of  seeking  their  pardon  from  a poor  and 
miserable  sinner,  weak  and  tempted  as  they  are, 
let  them  go  to  Christ,  the  only  strong  and  perfect 
man,  the  only  hope  and  salvation  of  the  world. 

O poor  deluded  Catholic  women  ! listen  no  longer 
to  the  deceiving  words  of  the  Church  of  Rome, 
who  has  no  pardon,  no  peace  for  you,  but  only 
snares ; who  offers  you  thraldom  and  shame  in  re- 
turn for  the  confession  of  your  sins  ! But  listen 
rather  to  the  invitations  of  your  Saviour,  who  has 
died  on  the  cross,  that  you  might  be  saved  ; and 
who,  alone,  can  give  rest  to  your  weary  souls. 

Hearken  to  Ills  words,  when  lie  says  to  you  : 

Come  unto  Me,  O ye  heavily  laden,  crushed,  as 
it  were,  under  the  burden  of  your  sins,  and  I shall 
give  you  rest ...  .1  am  the  Physician  of  your  souls. 

. . . .Those  who  are  well  have  no  need  of  a physi- 
cian, but  those  who  are  sick ....  Come,  then,  ta 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  259^ 

Me,  and  ye  shall  be  healed ....  I have  not  sent 

back  nor  lost  any  who  have  come  to  Me invoke 

My  name.  . . .believe  in  Me repent. . . .love  God, 

and  your  neighbor  as  yourself,  and  you  shall  be 
saved. ..  .For  all  who  believe  in  Me  and  call  upon 

My  name,  shall  be  saved When  I am  raised  up 

between  heaven  and  earth,  I shall  draw  every  one 
to  Me. ...” 

Oh,  mothers  and  daughters,  instead  of  going  to 
the  priest  for  pardon  and  salvation,  go  to  Jesus, 
who  is  so  pressingly  inviting  you  ! and  the  more  so 
as  you  have  more  need  of  divine  help  and  grace. 
Even,  if  you  are  as  great  a sinner  as  Mary  Magda- 
lene, you  can,  like  her,  wash  the  feet  of  the  Saviour 
with  the  flowing  tears  of  your  repentance  and  your 
love,  and  like  her,  receive  the  pardon  of  your  sins. 

Te  Jesus,  then,  and  to  Him  alone,  go  for  the  con- 
fession and  pardon  of  your  sins ; for  there,  only, 
you  can  And  peace,  light,  and  life  for  time  and 
eternity ! 


CHAPTEE  XI. 


^UKICULAK  CONFESSION  IN  AUSTRALIA,  AMERICA, 


E hope  this  chapter  will  be  read  with  interest 


and  benefit  everywhere  ; it  will  be  particu- 
larly interestiiig  to  the  people  of  Australia,  Amer- 
ica, 'and  France.  Let  every  one  consider  with 
attention  its  solemn  teachings ; they  will  see  how 
auricular  confession  is  spreading,  broadcast,  the 
seeds  of  an  unspeakable  corruption  on  every  side, 
all  over  the  world.  Let  every  one  see  how  the 
enemy  is  successfully  at  work,  to  destroy  every  ves- 
tige of  honesty  and  purity  in  the  hearts  and  tlie 
minds  of  the  fair  daughters  of  their  countries. 

Though  I have  been  in  Australia  only  "a  few 
months,  I have  a collection  of  authentic  and  unde- 
niable facts  abofit  the  destruction  of  female  virtue, 
through  the  confessional,  which  would  fill  several 
large  volumes,  and  would  strike  the  country  with 
horror,  were  it  possible  to  publish  them  all.  But 


AND  FRANCE. 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  261 

to  keep  myself  within  the  limits  of  a short  chapter, 
I will  give  only  a few  of  the  most  public  ones. 

Not  long  ago,  a young  Irish  lady,  belonging  to 
one  of  the  most  respectable  families  of  Ireland, 
went  to  confess  to  a priest  of  Parramatta.  But  the 
questions  put  to  her  in  the  confessional,  were  of 
such  a bestial  character  ; the  efforts  made  by  this 
priest  to  persuade  his  God-fearing  and  honest  young 
penitent,  to  consent  to  satisfy  the  infamous  desires 
of  his  corrupted  heart,  caused  the  young  lady  to 
give  up,  immediately,  the  Church  of  Rome,  and 
break  the  fetters,  by  which  she  had  been  too  long 
bound  to  the  feet  of  her  would-be  seducers.  Let 
the  reader  peruse  her  letter,  which  I have  copied 
from  the  Sydney  (Australia)  Gazette^  of  the  28th 
July,  1839,  and  they  will  see  how  bravely,  and 
over  her  own  signature,  she  not  only  accuses  her 
confessors  of  having  most  infamously  scandalized 
her  by  their  questions,  and  tried  to  destroy  in  her 
the  last  vestige  of  female  modesty,  but  she  declares 
that  many  of  her  female  friends  had  acknowledged 
in  her  presence,  that  they  had  been  dealt  with  in 
the  very  same  way,  by  their  father  confessors. 

As  that  young  lady  was  the  niece  of  a well-known 
Roman  Catholic  Bishop,  and  the  near  relation  of 
two  priests,  her  public  .declaration  made  a pro- 
found sensation  in  the  public  mind,  and  the  Roman 


262  THE  PEIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

Catholic  hierarchy  keenly  felt  the  blow.  The  factsi 
were  too  plainly  and  bravely  given  by  that  unim- 
peachable witness  to  be  denied.  The  only  thing 
to  which  those  haughty  and  implacable  enemies  of 
all  that  is  true^  holy  and  jpure^  in  the  world,  had 
recourse  to,  to  defend  their  tottering  power,  and 
keep  their  mask  of  honesty,  what  they  have  done 
in  all  ages — ‘^murder  the  honest  young  girl  they 
had  not  been  able  to  sileneey  A few  days  after, 
she  was  found  bathed  in  her  blood,  and  cruelly 
bruised,  at  a short  distance  from  Parramatta ; but 
by  the  good  providence  of  God,  the  would-be  mur- 
derers, sent  by  these  priests,  had  failed  to  kill  their 
victim.  She  recovered  from  her  wounds,  and  lived 
many  years  more  to  proclaim  before  the  public, 
how  the  priests  of  Australia,  as  well  as  the  priests 
of  the  rest  of  the  world,  make  use  of  auricular  con- 
fession to  pollute  the  hearts,  and  damn  the  souls  of 
their  penitents. 

Here  is  the  letter  of  that  young,  honest,  and 
brave  lady : — 

The  Confessional. 

( To  the  Editors  of  the  Sydney  Gazette. ) 

While  reading  over,  the  other  day,  in  the  Syd- 
ney Gazette.^  an  account  of  the  trial,  which  took 
place  at  the  Supreme  Court,  Tuesday,  the  9th  in- 
stant, I was  struck  with  inexpressible  amazement 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

at  the  evidence  of  Dr.  Folding,  Fornan  CA'liolic 
Bishop  in  this  colony,  and  beg  to  enquire,  through 
the  medium  of  your  paper,  whether  any  difference 
exists  between  the  English  and  the  Irish  Roman 
Catholic  priests  ? If  there  does  not,  and  if  what 
Dr.  Folding  says  is  really  the  case,  J must  have 
been  very  unfairly  dealt  wfth  indeed  by  most  of 
the  priests,  to  whom  I have  confessed. 

I know  very  well  a Roman  Catholi<3  priest  will 
never  say — ‘^Fay  me  so  much,  and  J will  give  you 
absolution,’-  because  that  would  be  exposing  the 
craft ; but  practice  speaks  louder  than  precept,  and 
I can  say  for  myself  (and  I know  hundred  of  oth- 
ers, whe  could  say  the  same,  if  they  dared),  that  I 
have,  times  without  number,  paid  the  priest,  before 
I rose  from  my  knees  at  confession,  under  the  pre- 
tence, as  I will  show,  of  getting  masses  and  prayers 
said  for  the  release  of  the  souk  of  my  deceased  rel- 
atives from  purgatory. 

I was  taught  to  believe  that  masses  were  not 
t^alid,  unless  I was  from  under  a state  of  sin,  or  in 
other  w’ords,  in  a state  of  grace.  Consequently  I 
must  be  absolved,  to  make  the  masses  effectual, 
and  all  Roman^  Catholics  know  full  well,  that  all 
masses  must  he  j)aid  for^  hefore  they  will  be  said. 
I have  been  told  by  a priest,  a man  of  good  educa- 
tio7:\,  that  the  more  I gave,  the  better  for  my  own 


264  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

soul,  and  the  souls  of  friends  detained  in  purga 
tory.  I was  taught  to  believe  that  the  Church 
of  Rome  being  infallible,  and  incapable  of  erring, 
its  doctrine  and  practices  were  the  same  through- 
out the  world  ; of  course  I was  .the  more  staggered 
on  reading  Dr.  Folding’s  evidence.  I think  that 
he  must  be  laboring  under  a great  mistake,  when 
he  says,  that  it  is  strictly  forbidden  for  a priest  to 
receive  money  in  any  way,  or  even  if  anything 
should  be  given  for  charitable  purposes,  it  is  usual 
to  give  it  at  another  time,  ‘‘but  not  customary,” 
or  else  the  priests  in  Ireland  are  outrageously 
simonical.  Perhaps  Dr.  Folding  will  inform  me, 
why  I should,  for  so  many  years,  and  not  only  I, 
but  very  many  members  of  my  poor  deluded  fom- 
ily,  pay  the  priest  for  relics — such  as  ''‘the  word  ol 
the  cross,”  “holy  bones,”  “holy  Iv^ax,”  “holy 
fire,”  “pieces  of  saints’  garments,'^  from  Rome 
and  other  places;  “holy  clay,”  from  the  saints’ 
tombs ; “the  Agnus  Dei,”  “ gospels,”  “ scapula^ 
ries,”  “blessed  candle,’'  “blep^sed  salt,”  “St 
Francis’  lard,  &c. 

But  the  time  would  fail  me  to  repeat  the  abomh 
nable  delusions  I’ve  paid  for,  und  none  of  them 
could,  in  any  way,  be  reckoned  among  the  priests’ 
traveling  expenses,  as  the  priests  were  resident  in 
the  place;  but,  perhaps,  \re  not  some  of  the 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  265 

acts  which  would  bring  a priest  into  degradation 
with  his  own  community,  as  Dr.  Folding  acknowl- 
edges ; ‘Hhere  are  certain  acts  to  which,  inherently 
and  incessantly,  there  are  degradations  and  detes- 
tation attached,”  but  I humbly  and  heartily  thank 
God  I have  not,  like  Dr.  Folding,  to  wait  until  I 
have  been  a Frotestant,”  to  know  how  such  acts 
must  affect  all  who  come  within  reach  of  their  con- 
tagion, as  I do  most  solemnly  protest,  before  God 
and  man,  against  refuges  of  lies  and  idolatrous 
worship  of  the  Fopish  Church,  out  of  which  it  is 
my  earnest  and  constant  prayer,  that  not  only  my 
own  relations,  but  all  within  her  pale,  may,  through 
the  riches  of  God’s  grace,  ‘‘come  out  from  her  and 
be  separate,”  as  I have,  so  that  after  the  way  — 
which  they  call  heresy — “that  they  may  yet  be 
bi ought  to  worship  the  God  of  their  fathers.” 

But  there  is  one  thing  asserted  by  Dr.  Folding, 
in  his  evidence,  that  needs  particular  explanations, 
as  it  either  casts  a most  blasphemous  reflection  on 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  or  Dr.  Folding  must,  if  he 
directs  the  attention  of  Frotestants,  for  the  rule  of 
confession,  in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  to  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  be  totally  ignorant  of  that,  which 
the  everyday  student  in  Maynooth  College  is  mas- 
ter of ; and  were  it  not  that  I esteem  the  glory  of 
God  far  beyond  my  own  personal  feelings  of  female 


268  THE  PKIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

delicacy,  I would  slirink  from  acknowledging  that 
which  I do  now  publicly,  and  with  shame,  that  I 
have  carefully  perused  the  translations  of  the  ex- 
tracts from  ‘‘Dens’  Theology,”  where  alone  the 
true  practice  of  the  Homan  Catholic  confessional  is 
to  be  found,  and  publicly  authorized  by  Dr.  Mur- 
ray, the  Homan  Catholic  Archbishop  of  Dublin, 
and  in  the  presence  of  my  Maker,  I solemnly 
declare,  that  horrible  and  unspeakably  vile  as  that 
book  is,  I have  had  a hundred  times  more  disgust- 
ing questions  put  to  me  in  the  confessional,  which 
I was  obliged  to  answer,  having  been  told  by  my 
confessor,  “ that  being  ashamed  of  answering  him, 
I was  in  a state  of  mortal  sin.”  I have  been  often 
obliged  to  perform  severe  penance,  for  repeating  to 
my  companions,  a jDortion  of  these  horrible  things, 
out  of  confession,  and  comparing  the  questions  put 
to  them  (as  far  as  decency  would  allow)  with  those 
put  to  myself  What  then  will  the  Protestant 
public  think,  when  I again  declare,  and  in  the 
same  solemn  manner,  that  their  experience,  and 
especially  the  experience  of  one  of  them,  was 
worse  than  mine,  acts  following  questions^  which  I 
readily  believe,  from  the  specimens  offered  to 
myself,  one  day,  in  the  confessional. 

If  then.  Dr.  Folding  will  only  prove  to  me, 
‘'"from  simply  the  Holy  Scriptures,”  any  authority 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL 


for  wliat  I have  stated,  on  tlie  part  of  Roman  Cath- 
olic Confession,  and  which  may  be  read  by  any  one 
who  please,  in  Dens’  Theology, — I promise  to- 
return  to  the  bosom  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church. 
But  I must  leave  this  subject  for  the  present,  on 
which  I could  relate  what  would  fill  a moderate 
sized  volume,  and  just  speak  a few  words  about 
the  sale  of  indulgences,  of  which  Dr.  Folding  has 
only  read  ‘‘in  Protestant  books.”  This  also  aston- 
ished me,  that  a bishop  in  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  should  know  nothing  of  these  things,  and 
I to  have  purchased  one,  which  I did  during  the 
cholera  of  1832.  At  that  time  I heard  the  priest 
of  the  parish  publish  from  the  altar,  that  the  Pope 
had  granted  an  indulgence ; and,  as  the  cholera 
was  raging  in  Dublin,  every  one  was  in  dread  of 
its  spreading  over  the  whole  country,  and  every 
Roman  Catholic  that  could  crawl  to  the  chapel,  in. 
the  parish  where  I lived,  lost  no  time  in  coming. 
Amongst  them  I w^ell  remember  the  priest  showing 
me  an  old  woman,  who,  he  said,  had  not  been  to 
confession  for  fifty  years,  and  who  was  in  the  act 
of  laying  her  money  on  the  tray,  when  he  pointed 
her  out.  Indulgence  was  to  be  had,  as  the  priest 
had  published,  and  I saw  the  old  woman  put  her 
money  on  the  tray,  where  I put  mine — she  got  her 
seal  of  indulgence,  and  I got  mine.  Will  Dr. 


268  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

Folding  have  the  kindness  te  tell  me  what  the 
money  was  for  ? In  complying  with  the  indulgence, 
it  was  necessary  also,  to  say  so  many  prayers,  such 
as  the  Jesus  Psalter,”  &c.,  but  those  who  could 
not  were  to  bring  their  beads  to  their  priests,  wha 
selected  a proper  number  of  prayers  to  be  said  on 
them.  Persons  were  to  give  at  their  own  option, 
what  money  they  pleased,  but  nothing  less  than 
silver  was  taken.  I have  seen  trays  on  the  vestry- 
room  table  of  the  chapel,  at  that  time,  full  of  sil- 
ver^ hank-notes  and  gold^  and  I have  also  seen  trays 
for  the  same  purpose,  in  Marlborough  Street 
Chapel,  Dublin,  upon  the  holy-water  trough. 

How  many  poor  creatures  have  I known,  who 
were  little  short  of  starving,  beg  or  borrow  a six- 
pence, to  be  at  the  chapel  at  that  time  ; but  it 
would  be  impossible  almost  for  me,  unless  I was  as 
insensible  as  the  images  I was  taught  to  worship, 
especially  my  own  guardian  angel,  St.  Agnes,  to 
whom,  with  the  Virgin  Mary,  I was  taught  to  pay 
more  adoration  than  to  God  Himself,  were  I to 
have  remained  unacquainted  with  the  depth  of 
these,  and  many  more  wicked  and  abominable  de- 
vices, under  the  garb  of  the  most  self-denying 
religion,  having  such  a number  of  priests  related 
to  me,  a bishop  for  my  uncle,  and  brought  up 
amongst  priests,  friars,  and  nuns  of  almost  every 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  269 

order,  from  mj  birtli,  besides  being  a most  zealous 
devoted  Roman  Catholic  myself,  during  my  ignor- 
ance of  the  truth,  as  it  is  in  Jesus.”  But  I am 
content  to  leave  all  temporal  good  as  I have  already 
done,  in  leaving  .wealthy  relations  and  former 
friends,  only  desiring  from  my  heart,  that,  as  I 
have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things,  I may  ‘‘be 
more  enabled  to  count  them  but  dung,  that  I may 
win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  Him,  not  having  my 
own  righteousness  (which  I was  taught  to  value  in 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  which  is  of  the 
law),  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ, 
the  righteousness,  which  is  of  God,  by  faith.”  I 
know,  sir,  I have  taken  up  too  much  of  your  paper, 
but,  should  it  please  God,  that  the  truths,  the  sol- 
emn truths,  which  I have  stated,  be  so  blessed  as 
to  rouse  even  one  of  my  Roman  Catholic  fellow- 
sinners  to  reflect,  and  break  through  that  slavish 
bondage,  in  which  I know  too  well,  they  are  kept, 
and  begin  to  think  for  him  or  herself,  I am  sure 
you  will  feel  doubly  recompensed  for  the  space  you 
have  given  this  letter. 

I am,  sir,  &c.,  &c., 

Agnes  Catherine  Byrne. 

25th  July,  1839. 

As  some  people,  from  a mistaken  sense  of  charity, 
may  be  tempted  to  believe  that  the  priests  of  Rome, 


270  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAJ^  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

in  Australia,  have  reformed,  and  are  not  so  cor- 
rupted to-day  as  they  were  in  1839,  let  them  read 
the  following  document,  which  I take  from  the 
Sydney  Evening  News^  19th  November,  1878 
One  of  the  largest  assemblages  that  were  ever 
seen  inside  the  Protestant  Hall  in  Castlereagh- 
street,  attended  last  night  in  response  to  an  adver- 
tisement announcing  that  a lady  would  deliver  a 
lecture  on  the  subject — ‘Mrs.  Constable  wrong, 
and  the  ex-priest  Chiniquy  right,  relative  to  auric- 
ular confession  ; proved  by  the  lady’s  personal  ex- 
perience in  Sydney.’  The  building  was  densely 
packed  in  every  part,  and  there  was  no  standing 
room.  On  the  platform,  around  it,  and  in  tlie 
galleries  were  large  numbers  of  ladies.  Pastor 
Allen  then  opened  the  proceedings  by  giving  out 
the  hymn,  ‘ Rock  of  ages  cleft  for  me.  ’ Mr.  W. 
Neill  (the  banker)  was  voted  to  the  chair.  The 
lady  lecturer,  Mrs.  Margaret  Ann  Dillon,  a middle- 
aged  lady,  neatly  dressed,  was  then  introduced  to 
the  audience.  At  first  she  appeared  somewhat 
tremulous  and  confused,  which  she  explained  was 
mainly  owing  to  the  cruel  and  heartless  letter  she 
had,  that  night,  received,  announcing  the  death  of 
her  husband.  She  stated  that  she  had  not  been 
brought  up  in  the  Roman  Catholic  faith,  but  after 
much  consideration  she  had  joined  that  Church, 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  271 

A^'.cause  she  had  been  led  to  believe  it  was  the  only 
true  Church.  She  had,  for  years  after  joining  the 
Church,  faithfully  attended  to  its  duties,  even  to 
auricular  confession.  It  was  not  her  intention  to 
insult  the  Eoman  Catholics  that  she  had  thus  pub- 
licly come  forward,  but  to  refute  the  allegations  of 
Mrs.  Constable,  and  show  that  the  ex-priest  Chini- 
quy’s  statements  were  true.  Nothing  but  her  duty 
to  God  would  have  caused  her  to  come  before  them 
in  this  public  maimer.  It  was  her  first  appearance 
in  public ; therefore,  they  must  allow  for  her  short- 
comings ; but  she  would  speak  truthfully  and  fear- 
lessly. Her  address  would  have  reference  entirely 
to  her  own  personal  experience  of  auricular  con- 
fession. After  some  further  remarks,  Mr.  Neill 
was  requested  to  read  the  following  letter,  sent  by 
the  lady  lecturer  to  Archbishop  Y aughan : — 
^ No.  259  Kent  Street,  Sydney.  12th  of  April, 
1878.  To  his  Grace  Archbishop  Yaughan.  May 
it  please  your  Grace : — I have  for  a considerable 
time  past  been  very  desirous  of  bringing  a most 
painful  subject  under  jour  notice,  and  which  has 
caused  me  considerable  pain.  Yarious  reasons 
have  prevented  my  doing  so  until  now,  and  it  is 
only  when  I perceive  the  object  of  my  complaint 
apparently  unpunished  for  his  conduct,  which  I 
heard  has  been  the  case,  I determined  upon  appeal- 


272  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

ing  to  you,  feeling  sure  of  obtaining  redress.  Aboui 
the  year  1876,  I resided  in  Clarence  street,  in  this 
city,  and  while  suffering  from  severe  illness  was 
visited  by  Father  Sheridan,  of  St.  Mary’s,  as  also 
by  Father  Maher.  From  the  former  I received  the 
last  rites  of  the  Church,  as  I was  supposed  to  be  on 
my  dying-bed.  Half  an  hour  after  Father  Sheri- 
dan, had  left  me.  Father  Maher  called  upon  me, 
and  insisted  upon  performing  the  service  upon  me, 
which  I declined.  There  was  a bottle  containing 
brandy  on  the  table,  and  by  its  side  a tumbler  coxi- 
taining  a small  quantity  of  castor  oil  for  my  use. 
Father  Maher  wished  for  some  of  the  spirits,  and 
my  husband,  who  was  in  the  room,  requested  him 
to  help  himself.  He  did  so,  using  the  tumbler  that 
contained  the  medicine,  and  finding  the  mistake, 
he  had  emptied  some  more  of  the  spirits  into  a 
clean  tumbler,  and  drank  it.  He  then  desired  my 
husband  to  leave  the  room.  He  then  came  to  my 
bedside  professedly  to  administer  the  rites  of  the 
Church  to  me,  and  I remonstrated  with  him,  when 
he  laid  violent  hands  upon  me,  and  made  most  im- 
proper overtures  to  me.  In  my  struggles  to  resist, 
my  night  dress  was  much  torn.  He  assured  me 
that  no  harm  would  be  done  to  me  it  I did  comply 
with  his  terrible  device  (Cries  of  Oh  ! Oh!)  saying 
what  he  did  was  under  the  holy  orders,  and  would 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL,  273 

not  be  held  as  a sin  by  the  Clmrcli,  or  words  to 
that  effect.  (Sensation.)  I,  at  length,  found 
strength  to  call  my  husband ; and,  on  his  appear- 
ing, Father  Maher  was  forced  to  leave  the  room.  I 
was  fearful  in  telling  my  husband  all  that  happened, 
as  I felt  sure  he  would  use  violence  to  Father 
Maher.  Since  the  occurrence,  I was  apprised  that  he 
had  been  suspended  for  some  other  cause,  and  that 
it  was  useless  my  taking  steps  in  the  matter.  But 
as,  within  the  present  month,  I liave  seen  him  pass- 
ing my  door  dressed  in  a priest’s  usual  garb,  audit 
being  evident  to  me  that  he  is  still  under  some  con- 
trol, I have  determined  upon  making  the  complaint 
he  so  richly  deserves.  I write  to  add  that  when 
my  husband  drove  him  off  the  premises,  he  (Father 
Maher)  had  become  quite  intoxicated  with  the 
spirits  he  had  taken. — I am,  with  much  respect, 
your  Grace’s  humble  servant,  Margaret  Ann 
Dillon.’  Mrs.  Dillon  then  proceeded,  at  great 
length,  to  relate  minutely  the  facts  of  the  affair 
stated  in  the  letter,  and  how  the  Yicar-General 
(Dean  Sheridan)  came  to  her  place  to  hush  up  the 
matter.  In  a long  dialogue  wdth  the  reverend 
Dean,  she  asserted  that  he  maintained  that  Arch- 
bishop Yaughan  had  shed  tears  over  her  letter, 
and  that  he  (the  Dean)  had  always  known  her  to 
be  a good  woman.  In  reply  to  a question,  the 


274  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFRGSION AL. 

Dean  told  her  that  ‘ once  a priest  always  a priest 
but  she  rejoined,  ‘ once  in  infamy,  always  in  in- 
famy.’ Subsequently,  a priest  called  on  her,  and 
asked  her  why  she  did  not  go  to  church.  She  ex- 
plained that,  having  three  children  to  take  care  of, 
she  could  not  go.  Once,  a priest  saw  the  Protes- 
tant Bible  with  some  other  books  on  her  table,  and 
he  said  to  her,  ‘ I see  you  have  got  some  heretical 
books  here ; you  must  take  them  and  burn  them.  ’ 
She  said  she  would  not  do  so ; and  he  said,  ‘ If  you 
do  not  give  me  those  books,  I will  not  give  you  ab- 
solution.’ She  said  she  did  not  care,  and  he  left 
the  place.  The  lady  then  read  from  Dens’  Theol- 
ogy,  Vol.  YI.,  page  305,  as  to  the  doctrines  of  the 
confessional.  She  maintained  that  the  priest  lik- 
ened themselves  to  God  in  the  confessional-box,  but 
outside  of  it  they  were  only  men.  She  would  not 
give  utterance  to  the  filthy  language  that  she  had 
been  subject  to  hear  and  reply  to  by  the  priest  in 
the  confessional-box.  Not  only  herself,  but  her 
daughter  could  bear  witness  to  the  abominations  of 
the  confessional.  She  had  been  married  twice,  and 
shortly  after  her  first  husband’s  death  she  sent  her 
daughter  to  confession.  The  priest  told  her  daugh- 
ter that  her  dead  father,  who  had  been  a Protestant, 
was  a heretic,  and  was  in  hell.  She  urged  that 
Catholic  women  ought  not  to  send  their  children  to 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 


275 


be  insulted  and  degraded  by  the  confessional.  She 
hoped  they  would  keep  their  children  away  from  it, 
for  the  priests  put  questions  to  them  suggesting 
wickedness  of  the  grossest  description,  and  filling 
their  minds  with  carnal  thoughts  for  the  first  time 
in  their  lives.  (Cheers.)  She  would  strongly 
advise  all  Roman  Catholic  men  not  to  allow  priests 
to  remain  alone  with  their  wives.  Napoleon 
adopted  a scheme  by  which  he  would  himself  frame 
the  questions  to  be  put  to  his  son  in  the  confess- 
ional. If  Napoleon  was  so  careful  of  his  son,  how 
much  more  so  must  those  be  in  a humbler  sphere 
of  life.  Mrs.  Dillon,  then,  read  extracts  from 
Dens’  Theology  and  other  text-books,  which  she 
claimed  to  be  the  standard  works  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church,  to  refute  Mrs.  Constable’s  allega- 
tions. Her  experience,  as  well  as  that  of  many 
others,  clearly  proved  that  the  cause  of  the  major- 
ity of  the  large  numbers  of  girls  on  the  streets  arose 
from  the  abominable  questions  they  have  to  reply 
to  in  the  confessional-box.  (Cheers.)  Not  only 
were  the  majority  of  these  girls  Catholics,  but  our 
hospitals  and  charitable  institutions  are  filled  with 
those  whose  early  life  had  been  degraded  in  the 
confessional.  (Hear,  hear.)  In  conclusion,  Mrs. 
Dillon  touched  on  the  sacrament  question,  assert- 
ing that  the  priests  take  good  care  to  drink  the 


276  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

wine — the  blood  of  Christ, — and  the  ;pi?ople  had 
the  lozenge, — the  body  of  Christ.  (Laiigliter.) 
Mrs.  Dillon  resumed  her  seat  amid  tumultuous 
cheering.  Frequently  her  remarks  created  great 
sensation  and  rounds  of  applause.  The  Eev.  Pas- 
tor Allen  read  a letter  sent  that  night  to  the  lady 
lecturer,  containing  an  extract  from  the  S.  M.  Her 
uld^  published  four  years  ago,  about  the  punish- 
ment of  an  Abbe  for  unpriestly  conduct  to  four 
young  ladies  in  the  confessional.  A hearty  vote  of 
thanks  was  passed  to  the  lady  lecturer,  and  a simi- 
lar honor  was  accorded  to  Mr.  Neill,  for  presiding. 
The  benediction  and  the  singing  of  the  National 
Anthem  closed  the  proceedings  about  half-past  nine 
o’clock. 

Has  the  world  ever  seen  any  act  more  disgust- 
ingly corrupt  than  that  priest’s?  Who  will  not  be 
struck  with  horror  at  the  sight  of  that  confessor, 
who  struggles  with  his  dying  penitent,  snd  tears 
her  night-dress,  when  she  is  on  her  sick  bed,  to 
satisfy  his  vile  propensities  ? 

What  an  awful  spectacle  is  here  presented,  by 
the  hands  of  Providence,  before  the  eyes  of  a 
Christian  people ! A dying  woman  obliged  to 
•fight  and  struggle  against  her  confessor,  to  keep 
her  purity  and  honor  intact ! Her  night-robes  torn 
by  the  beastly  priest  of  Pome ! 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  27T 

Let  the  Americans  who  like  to  know  more  pre- 
cisely what  is  going  on  between  the  father  confess- 
ors and  their  female  penitents  in  the  United  States^ 
go  to  the  beautiful  town  of  Malone,  in  the  State  of 
New  York.  There,  they  will  see,  by  the  public 
records  of  the  court,  how  Father  McNully  seduced 
his  fair  penitent.  Miss  McFarlane,  who  was  board’ 
ing  with  him,  and  of  whom  he  was  the  teacher. 
They  will  see  that  the  enraged  parents  of  the  young 
lady  prosecuted  him  and  got  a verdict  of  $2,129 
for  damage,  which  he  refused  to  pay.  He  was  incar- 
cerated— broke  his  gaol,  went  to  Canada,  where  ho 
was  welcomed  by  the  bishops  and  employed  among 
the  confessors  of  the  Irish  girls  of  the  Dominion  ! 

Do  not  the  echoes  of  the  whole  world  still  repeat 
the  horrors  of  the  Cracow  Nunnery  in  Austria? 
In  spite  of  the  superhuman  efforts  of  the  Roman 
Cathoiic  press  to  suppress  or  deny  the  truth,  has  it 
not  been  proved  by  the  evidence  that  the  unfortu- 
nate Nun  Barb  ary  Ubryk  was  found  absolutely 
naked  in  a most  horrible,  dark,  damp,  and  filthy 
dungeon,  where  she  had  been  kept  by  the  nuns 
because  she  had  refused  to  live  their  life  of  infamy 
with  their  Father  Confessor  Pankiewiez.  And  has 
not  that  miserable  priest  corroborated  all  that 
was  brought  to  his  charge,  by  putting  an  end 
himself,  like  Judas,  to  his  own  infamous  life? 


278  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

I have  met,  in  Montreal,  a nephew  of  tlie  Nun 
Barbara  Ubryk,  who  was  in  Cracow  when  his  aunt 
was  found  in  her  horrible  danger.  He  not  only 
corroborated  all  what  the  press  had  said  about  the 
tortures  of  his  near  relation  and  their  cause,  but  he 
publicly  gave  up  the  Church  of  Koine,  whose  confes- 
sional he  knew  personally,  are  schools  of  perdition. 

I visited  Chicago  for  the  first  time  in  1851,  at  the 
pressing  request  of  Bishop  Yandevelde.  It  was  to 
cover  Illinois,  as  much  as  we  could,  with  Roman 
Catholics  from  Canada,  France,  and  Belgium,  that 
we  might  put  that  splendid  State,  which  was  then 
s,  kind  of  wilderness,  under  the  control  of  the 
Church  of  Rome.  I then  inquired  from  a priest 
about  the  particulars  of  the  death  of  the  late 
Bishop.  That  priest  had  no  reasons  whatever  to 
deceive  me  and  concede  the  truth,  and  it  was  with 
an  evidently  distressed  mind  that  he  gave  the  fol- 
lowing details,  which  he  assured  me,  were  the 
exact,  though  very  sad,  truth  : 

The  Grand  Yicar,  M . . . , had  fallen  in  love 
with  his  beautiful  penitent,  the  accomplished  Nun, 
. . . . , Superioress  of  the  Convent  of  Lorette.  The 
consequence  was  that  to  conceal  her  fall,  she  went, 
under  the  pretext  of  recruiting  her  health,  to  a 
western  city,  where  she  soon  died  when  giving 
birth  to  a dead-born  child.” 


TriK  PRIEST,  ^^/OMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  2Y9 

Though  these  mysteries  of  iniquity  had  been,  as 
much  as  possible,  'kept  secret,  enough  of  them  had 
come  to  the  ears  of  the  Bishop  to  induce  him  to 
tell  the  confessor  that  he  was  obliged  to  make 
inquiry  about  las  conduct,  and  that,  if  found  guilty, 
he  would  be  interdicted.  That  priest  boldly  and 
indignantly  denied  his  guilt;  and  said  that  he  was 
glad  of  that  inquiry.  For  he  boasted  that  he  was 
sure  to  prove  his  innocence.  But  after  more  ma- 
ture deliberation,  he  changed  his  mind.  In  order 
to  save  his  bishop  the  troubles  of  that  inquiry,  he 
administered  to  him  a dose  of  poison  which  re- 
lieved him  from  the  miseries  of  life,  after  five  or 
six  days  of  suffering  which  the  doctors  took  for  a 
common  disease ! ! ! 

Auricular  confesslm!  These  are  some  of  thy 
mysteries ! 

The  people  of  DeVxoit,  Michigan,  have  not  yet 
forgotten  that  aimable  priest  who  was  the  confessor, 
•‘d  la  mode,”  of  the  young  and  old  Roman  Catho- 
lic ladies.  They  all  remember  still,  the  dark  night 
during  which  he  left  for  Belgium,  with  one  of  his 
most  beautiful  penitents,  and  $4,000  which  he  had 
taken  from  the  purse  of  his  Bishop  Lefebvre,  to 
pay  his  traveling  expenses.  And,  who,  in  that 
same  city  of  Detroit  does  not  still  sympathize  with 
that  young  doctor  whose  beautiful  wife  eloped  with 


280  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

her  father  confessor,  in  order,  we  must  charitably 
suppose,  to  be  more  benefited  when  in  the  constant 
company  of  her  spiritual  and  holy  (?)  physician. 

Let  my  readers  come  with  me  to  Bourbonnais 
Grove,  and  there,  every  one  wHl  show  them  the 
son  whom  the  Priest  Courjeault  had  from  one  of 
his  fair  penitents. 

Week-kneed  Protestants!  who  are  constantly 
speaking  of  peace^  peace^  with  Pome,  and  who 
keep  yourselves  humbly  prostrated  at  their  feet,  in 
order  to  sell  them  your  wares,  or  get  their  suffrages, 
do  you  not  understand  your  supreme  degradation  ? 

Do  not  answer  to  us  that  these  are  exceptional 
cases,  for  I am  ready  to  prove  that  this  unspeaka- 
ble degradation  and  immorality  are  the  normal 
state  of  the  greater  part  of  the  priests  of  Rome. 
Father  Hyacinthe  has  publicly  declared,  that 
ninetjMiine  out  of  one  hundred  of  them,  live  in  sin 
with  the  females  they  have  destroyed.  And  not 
only  the  common  priests  are,  for  the  greater  part, 
sunk  in  that  bottomless  pit  of  secret  or  public 
infamy,  but  the  bishops  and  popes,  with  the  cardi- 
nals, are  no  better. 

Who  does  not  know  the  history  of  that  inter- 
esting young  girl  of  Armidale,  Australia,  who, 
lately,  confessed  to  her  distracted  parents,  that  her 
seducer  had  been  no  less  than  a bishop ! And 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  281 

the  enraged  father  prosecuted  the  bishop  for 
dama^^s,  is  it  not  a j)i^blic  fact  that  he  got  <£350 
from  the  Pope’s  bishop,  with  the  condition  that  he 
would  emigrate  with  his  family,  to  San  Francisco, 
where  this  great  iniquity  might  be  concealed  ! But, 
unfortunately  for  the  criminal  confessor,  the  girl 
gave  birth  to  a little  bishop,  before  she  left,  and  I 
can  give  the  name  of  the  priest  who  baptized  the 
child  of  his  own  holy  (?)  and  venerable  (?)  bishop. 

Will  the  people  of  Australia  ever  forget  the  his- 
tory of  Father  Nihills,  who  was  condemned  to 
three  years  in  the  penitentiary,  for  an  unmention- 
able crime  with  one  of  his  penitents  ? 

This  brings  to  my  mind  the  deplorable  end  of 
Father  Cahill,  who  cut  his  own  throat  not  long 
ago,  in  New  England,  to  escape  the  prosecution  of 
the  beautiful  girl  whom  he  had  seduced.  Who  has 
not  heard  of  that  grand  Vicar  of  Boston,  who, 
about  three  ago,  poisoned  himself  to  escape  the 
sentence  which  was  to  be  hurled  against  him  the 
very  next  day,  by  the  Supreme  Court,  for  having 
seduced  one  of  his  fair  penitents  ? 

Has  not  all  France  been  struck  with  horror  and 
confusion  at  the  declarations  made  by  the  noble 
Catherine  CadiSre  and  her  numerous  young  female 
friends,  against  their  father  confessor,  the  Jesuit, 
John  B.  Girard?  The  details  of  the  villainies 


282  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

practiced  by  that  holy  (?)  father  confessor  and  his 
coadjutors,  with  their  fair  penitents,  are  such,  that 
no  Christian  pen  can  retrace  them,  and  no  Chris- 
tian reader  would  consent  to  have  them  put  before 
his  eyes. 

If  this  chapter  was  not  already  long  enough,  I 
would  say  how  Father  Achazius,  superior  of  a 
nunnery  in  Duren,  France,  used  to  sanctify  the 
young  and  old  ladies  who  confessed  to  him.  The 
number  of  his  victims  was  so  great,  and  their  ranks 
in  society  so  exalted,  that  Napoleon  thought  it  was 
his  duty  to  take  that  scandalous  atfair  before  him. 

The  way  this  holy  (?)  father  confessor  used  to 
lead  the  noble  girls,  married  women,  and  nuns,  of 
the  territory  of  Aix-la-Chapelle,  was  revealed  by  a 
young  nun  wlio  had  escaped  from  the  snares  of  the 
priest,  and  married  a superior  officer  in  the  army 
of  the  Emperor  of  France.  Her  husband  thought 
it  his  duty  to  direct  the  attention  of  Napoleon  to 
the  performances  of  that  priest,  through  the  con- 
fessional. But  the  investigations  wliich  were  direc- 
ted by  the  State  Counsellor,  Le  Clerq,  and  the 
Professor  Gall,  were  compromising  so  many  other 
priests,  and  so  many  ladies  in  the  highest  ranks  of 
society,  that  the  Emperor  was  absolutely  disheart- 
ened, and  feared  that  their  exposure  before  the 
whole  of  France,  would  cause  the  people  to  renew 


THE  PJRIEST,  WOJMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 


the  awful  slaugliters  of  1792  and  1793,  wlien  thirty 
thousand  priests,  monks  and  nuns,  had  been  merci- 
lessly hung,  or  shot  dead,  as  the  most  implacable 
enemies  of  public  morality  and  liberty.  In  those 
days,  that  ambitious  man  was  in  need  of  the  priests 
to  forge  the  fetters  by  which  the  people  of  France 
would  be  securely  tied  to  the  wheels  of  his  chariot. 

He  abruptly  ordered  the  court  of  investigation 
to  stop  the  inquiry,  under  the  pretext  of  saving 
the  honor  of  so  many  families,  whose  single  and 
married  females  had  been  seduced  by  their  confes- 
sors. He  thought  that  prudence  and  shame  were 
urging  him  not  to  lift  up  more  of  the  dark  and 
thick  veil,  behind  which  the  confessors  conceal 
their  hellish  practices  with  their  fair  penitents. 
He  found  it  was  enough  to  confine  Father  Achazius 
und  his  co-priests  in  a dungeon  for  their  lives. 

But  if  we  turn  our  eyes  from  the  humble  confes- 
sor priests  to  the  monsters  whom  the  Church  of 
Rome  adores  as  the  vicars  of  Jesus  Christ — the 
supreme  Pontiffs — the  Popes,  do  we  not  find  hor- 
rors and  abominations,  scandals  and  infamies, 
which  surpass  everything  which  is  done  by  the 
common  priests  behind  the  impure  curtains  of  the 
confessional-box  ? 

Does  not  Cardinal  Baronius  himself,  tell  us  that 
the  world  has  never  seen  anything  comparable  to 


0 

284  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

the  impurities  and  unmentionable  vices  of  a great 
number  of  popes? 

Do  not  the  annals  of  the  Church  of  Rome  give 
US  the  history  of  that  celebrated  prostitute  of 
Rome,  Marozia,  who  lived  in  public  concubinage 
with  the  Pope  Sergius  III. , whom  she  raised  to  the 
so-called  chair  of  St.  Peter?  Had  she  not  also,  by 
that  Pope  a son,  of  whom  she  also  made  a pope 
after  the  death  of  his  holy  (?)  father,  Pope  Sergius  ? 

Did  not  the  same  Marozia  and  her  sister,  Theo- 
dora, put  on  the  pontifical  throne  another  one  of 
their  lovers,  under  the  name  of  Anastasius  III.^ 
who  was  soon  followed  by  John  X.?  And  is  it  not 
a public  fact,  that  that  pope  having  lost  the  con- 
fidence of  his  concubine  Marozia,  was  strangled  by 
her  order?  Is  it  not  also  a fact  of  public  notoriety^ 
that  his  follower,  Leo  YI.,  was  assassinated  by  her, 
for  having  given  his  heart  to  another  woman,  still 
more  degraded  ? 

The  son  whom  Marozia  had  by  Pope  Sergius,, 
was  elected  pope,  by  the  infiuence  of  his  mother, 
under  the  name  of  John  XI.,  when  not  sixteen 
years  old!  But  having  quarrelled  with  some  of 
the  enemies  of  his  mother,  he  was  beaten  and  sent 
to  gaol,  where  he  was  poisoned  and  died. 

In  the  year  936,  the  grandson  of  the  prostitute 
Marozia,  after  several  bloody  encounters  with  his 


THE  PRIE8T,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  285 

opponents,  succeeded  in  taking  possession  of  the 
pontifical  throne  under  the  name  of  John  XII. 
But  his  vices  and  scandals  became  so  intolerable, 
that  the  learned  and  celebrated  Roman  Catholic 
Bishop  of  Cremorne,  Luitprand,  says  of  him:  — 
'^‘No  honest  lady  dared  to  show  herself  in  public, 
for  the  Pope  John  had  no  respect  eitlier  for  single 
girls,  married  women,  or  widows — they  were  sure 
to  be  defiled  by  him,  even  on  the  tombs  of  the 
holy  apostles,  Peter  and  Paul. 

That  same  John  XII.  was  instantly  killed  by  a 
gentleman,  who  found  him  committing  the  act  of 
adultery  with  his  wife. 

It  is  a well-known  fact  that  Pope  Boniface  YII. 
had  caused  John  XIY.  to  be  imprisoned  and 
poisoned,  and  when  he  soon  after  died,  the  people 
of  Rome  dragged  his  naked  body  through  the 
streets,  and  left  it,  wdien  horribly  mutilated,  to  be 
eaten  by  dogs,  if  a few  priests  had  not  secretly 
buried  him. 

Let  the  readers  study  the  history  of  the  cele- 
brated Council  of  Constance,  called  to  put  an  end 
to  the  great  schism,  during  which  three  popes,  and 
sometimes  four,  were  every  morning  cursing  each 
other  and  calling  their  opponents  Antichrists,  de- 
mons, adulterers,  sodomists,  murderers,  enemiesi'^f 
Ood  and  man. 


286  THE  PRIEST,  AVOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

As  every  one  of  them  was  an  infallible  pope,  ac^ 
cording  to  the  last  Conneil  of  the  Vatican,  we  are 
bound  to  believe  that  they  were  correct  in  the  com* 
pliments  they  paid  to  each  other. 

One  of  these  holy  (?)  popes,  John  XXIII. , hav 
Ing  appeared  before  the  Council  to  give  an  account 
of  his  conduct,  he  was  proved  by  thirty-seven  wit- 
nesses, the  greater  part  of  whom  were  bishops  and 
priests,  of  having  been  guilty  of  fornication,  adul- 
tery, incest,  sodomy,  simony,  theft,  and  murder. 
It  was  proved  also  by  a legion  of  witnesses,  that 
he  had  seduced  and  violated  300  nuns.  Ilis  own. 
secretary,  Niem,  said  that  he  had  at  Boulogne, 
kept  a harem,  where  not  less  than  200  girls  had 
been  the  victims  of  his  lubricity. 

And  what  could  we  not  say  of  Alexander  VI.  ? 
That  monster  who  lived  in  public  incest  witli  his 
two  sisters  and  his  own  daughter  Lucretia,  from 
whom  he  got  a child. 

But  I stop — I blush  to  be  forced  to  repeat  such 
things.  I would  never  have  mentioned  them  were 
it  not  necessary  not  only  to  put  an  end  to  the  inso- 
lence and  the  pretensions  of  the  priests  of  Rome, 
but  also  to  make  the  Protestants  remember  vdiy 
their  heroic  fathers  have  made  such  great  sacrifices 

A 

and  fought  so  many  battles,  shed  their  purest  blood 
and  even  died,  in  order  to  break  the  fetters  by 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSION AL.  287 

wliicli  they  were  bound  to  the  feet  of  the  priests 
and  the  popes  of  Rome. 

Let  not  my  readers  be  deceived  by  the  idea  that 
the  popes  of  Rome  in  our  days,  are  much  better 
than  those  of  the  ninth,  tenth,  eleventh  and  twelfth 
centuries.  They  are  absolutely  the  same — the  only 
difference  is  that,  to-day,  they  take  a little  more 
care  to  conceal  their  secret  orgies.  For  they  know 
well,  that  the  modern  nations,  enlightened  as  they 
are,  by  the  light  of  the  Bible,  would  not  tolerate 
the  infamies  of  their  predecessors  ; tliey  would  hurl 
them  very  soon  into  the  Tiber,  if  they  dared  to  "re- 
peat in  the  open  day,  the  scenes  of  which  the  Alex- 
anders, Stephens,  Johns,  &c.  &c.,  were  the  heroes. 

Go  to  Italy,  and  there  the  Roman  Catholics 
themselves  will  show  you  the  two  beautiful  daugh- 
ters whom  the  last  pope,  Pius  IX.,  had  from  two 
of  his  mistresses.  They  will  tell  you,  too,  the 
names  of  five  other  mistresses — three  of  them 
nuns — he  had  when  a priest  and  a bishop  ; some  of 
them  are  still  living. 

Inquire  from  those  who  have  personally  known 
Pope  Gregory  XYI. , the  predecessor  of  Pius  IX. , 
and  after  they  will  have  given  you  the  history  of 
his  mistresses,  one  of  whom^was  the  wife  of  his 
barber,  they  will  tell  you  that  he  was  one  of  the 
greatest  drunkards  in  Italy! 


^88  THE  PRIEST,  WOMA^^  AjSD  OONEEoSIONAL. 

Who  has  not  heard  of  the  bastard,  whom  Cardr 
Hal  Antonelli  had  from  Countess  Lambertini  ? Has 
Hot  the  suit  of  that  illegitimate  child  of  the  great 
cardinal  secretary  filled  Italy  and  the  whole  world 
Kith  shame  and  disgust  ? 

However,  nobody  can  be  surprised  that  the 
priests,  the  bishops,  and  the  popes  of  Home  are 
sunk  into  such  a bottomless  abyss  of  infamy,  when 
we  remember  that  they  are  nothing  else  than  the 
successors  of  the  priests  of  Bacchus  and  Jupiter. 
For  not  only  have  they  inherited  their  powers,  but 
they  have  even  kept  their  very  robes  and  mantles 
on  their  shoulders,  and  their  caps  on  their  heads. 
Like  the  priests  of  Bacchus,  the  priests  of  the  Pope 
are  bound  fiever  to  marry,  by  the  impious  and  god- 
less laws  of  celibacy.  For  every  one  knows  that 
the  priests  of  Bacchus  were,  as  the  priests  of  Rome, 
celibates.  But,  like  the  priests  of  the  Pope,  the 
priests  of  Bacchus,  to  console  themselves  for  the 
restraints  of  celibacy,  had  invented  auricular  con- 
fession. Through  the  secret  confidences  of  the 
confessional,  the  priests  of  the  old  idols,  as  well  as 
those  of  the  newly-invented  wafer  gods,  knew  wlm 
were  strong  and  weak  among  their  fair  penitents, 
and  under  the  veil  of  the  sacred  mysteries,”  dur- 
ing the  night  celebration  of  their  diabolical  mys^ 
teries,  they  knew  to  whom  they  should  address 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  289 

themselves,  and  make  their  vows  of  celibacy  an 
-easy  yoke. 

Let  those  who  want  more  information  on  that 
-subject  read  the  poems  of  Juvenal,  Propertius,  and 
Tibellus.  Let  them  peruse  all  the  historians  of  old 
Rome,  and  they  will  see  the  perfect  resemblance 
which  exists  between  the  priests  of  the  Pope  and 
those  of  Bacchus,  in  reference  to  the  vows  of  cel- 
ibacy, the  secrets  of  auricular  confession,  celebra- 
tion of  the  so-called  ^‘sacred  mysteries,”  and  the 
unmentionable  moral  corruption  of  the  two  systems 
of  religion.  In  fact,  when  one  reads  the  poems  of 
J uvenal,  he  thinks  he  has  before  him  the  books  of 
Dens,  Liguori,  Lebreyne,  Kenrick. 

Let  us  hope  and  pray  that  the  day  may  soon 
come  when  God  will  look  in  His  mercy  upon  this 
perishing  world ; and  then,  the  priests  of  the  wafer> 
gods,  with  their  mock  celibacy,  their  soul-destroy^ 
ing  auricular  confession  and  their  idols  will  be  swept 
away. 

In  that  day  Babylon — the  great  Babylon  will  fall, 
and  heaven  and  earth  shall  rejoice. 

For  the  nations  will  no  more  go  and  quench  their 
thirst  at  the  impure  cisterns  dug  for  them  by  the 
man  of  sin.  But  they  will  go  and  wash  their  robes  in 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb  *,  and  the  Lamb  will  make  them 
pure  by  His  blood,  and  free  by  His  word.  Amen. 


CHAPTEE  XII. 

CHAPTER  FOR  THE  CONSIDERATION  OF  LEGISLATORBy 

HUSBANDS,  AND  FATHERS. SOME  OF  THE  MAT« 

TERS  ON  WHICH  THE  PRIEST  OF  ROME  MUST  QUES- 
TION HIS  PENITENTS 

Dens  wants  the  confessors  to  interrogate  on  the 
following  matters : — 

1 Peccant  nxores,  quae  susceptiim  viri  semen 
ejiciimt,  vel  ejicere  conantiir.”  (Pens,  tom.  vii., 
p.  147.) 

2.  ‘‘  Peccant  conjuges  mortaliter,  si,  copula 

incepts,,  cohibeant  seminationem.” 

3.  “Si  vir  jam  seminaverit,  dubium  fit  an  fem- 
ina  lethaliter  peccat,  si  se  retraliat  a seminando  ; 
aiit  peccat  lethaliter  vir  non  expectando  semina- 
tionem uxoris.”  (P.  153.) 

4.  “Peccant  conjuges  inter  se  circa  actum  con- 
jugalom.  Debet  servari  modus,  ^ive  situs  ; imo  ut 
non  servetur  debitum  vas,  sed  copula  habeatur  in 
vase  prsepostero,  aliquoque  non  naturali.  Si  fiat 


THE  PRIEST,  AVOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  291 

uccedendo  a postero,  a latere,  stando,  sedendo,  rel 
si  vir  sit  succumbus.”  (P.  166.  j 

5.  Impotentia  est  incapacitas  perficiendi,  cop- 
alum  carnalem  perfectam  cum  seminatione  viri  in 
vase  debito  seu,  de  se,  aptam  generationi.  Yel,  ut 
si  mnlier  sit  nimis  arcta  respectu  unius  viri,  non 
respectu  alterius.”  (Yol.  vii.,  p.  273.) 

6.  ‘‘Notatur  qliod  polhitio  in  mulieribus  possit 
perfici,  ita  at  semen  earum  nou  efflaat  extra  mem- 
brum  genitale. 

Indicium  istius  allegat  Billuart,  si  scilicet 
mulier  sensiat  seminis  resolutionem  cum  magno 
voluptatis  sensu,  qua  completa,  passio  satiatui,” 
(Yol.  iv.,  p.  168.) 

7.  ‘‘Uxor  se  accusans,  in  confessione,  quod 
negaverit  debitum,  interrogetur  an  ex  pleno  rigore 
juris  sui  id  petiverit.”  (Yol.  vii.,  p.  168.) 

8.  “Confessor  poenitentem,  qui  confitetur  se 
pecasse  cum  sacerdote,  vel  sollicitatam  ab  eo  ad 
turpia,  potest  interrogare  utrum  ille  sacerdos  sit 
ejus  confessarius,  an  in  confessione  sollitaverit.  ” 
(Yol.  vi.,  p.  294.) 

There  are  a great  many  other  unmentionable 
things  on  which  Dens,  in  his  fourth,  fifth  and  sev- 
enth volumes,  requires  the  confessor  to  ask  his; 
penitent,  which  I omit. 

Now  let  us  come  to  Liguori.  That  so-called 


292  THE  PHIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

Saint,  Liguori,  is  not  less  diabolically  impure  than 
Dens,  in  his  questions  to  the  women.  But  I will 
cite  only  two  of  the  things  on  which  the  spiritual 
physician  of  the  Pope  must  not  fail  to  examine  his 
spiritual  patient : — 

1.  ‘‘Quserat  an  sit  semper  mortale,  sivirim- 
mitat  pudenda  in  os  uxoris  ? 

‘‘Verius  afHrmo  quia,  in  hoc  actu  oh  calorem 
oris,  adest  proximum  periculum  pollutionis,  et  vid- 
etur  nova  species  luxurise  contra  naturam,  dicta 
irruminatio.” 

2.  ‘‘Eodem  modo,  Sanchez  damnat  virum  de 
mortali,  qui,  in  actu  copulae,  immiteret  dignitum  in 
vas  prseposterum  nxoris ; quia,  ut  ait,  in  hoc  actu 
adest  affectus  ad  Sodomiam.”  (Liguori,  tom.  vi., 
p.  935.) 

The  celebrated  Burchard,  Bishop  of  Worms,  has 
made  a book  of  the.  questions  which  liad  to  be  put 
by  the  confessors  to  their  penitents  of  both  sexes. 
During  several  centuries  it  was  the  standard  book 
of  the  priests  of  Rome.  Though  that  work  to-day 
is  very  scarce.  Dens,  Liguori,  Debreyne,  &c.,  &c., 
have  ransacked  its  polluting  pages,  and  given  them 
to  study  to  the  modern  confessors,  in  order  to  ques- 
tion their  penitents.  I will  select  only  a few  ques- 
tions of  the  Roman  Catholic  Bishop  to  the  young 
men  : — 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL  293 

1.  “ Fecisti  solus  tecum  fornicationem  ut  quidain 
facere  solent ; ita  dico  ut  ipse  tuum  membrum 
virile  in  manum  tuam  acciperes,  et  sic  duceres 
praeputium  tuum,  et  manu  propria  commoveres,  ut 
sic,  per  illam  delectationem  semen  projiceres  ?” 

2.  ‘‘Fornicationem  fecisti  cum  masculo  intra 
coxes  ; ita  dicto  ut  tuum  virile  membrum  intra  coxas 
alterius  mitteres,  et  sic  agitando  semen  funderes 

3.  “Fecisti  fornicationem,  ut  quidem  facere 
solent,  ut  tuum  virile  membrum  in  lignum  perfora- 
tum, aut  in  aliquod  hujus  modi  mitteres,  et,  sic,  per 
illam  commotionem  et  delectationem  semen  proji- 
ceres ? ” 

4.  “Fecisti  fornicationem  contra  naturam,  id 
est,  cum  masculis  vel  animalibus  coire,  id  est  cum 
equo,  cum  vaccfi,  vel  asina,  vel  aliquo  animali  ? ” 
(Vol.  i.,  p.  136.) 

Among  the  questions  we  find  in  the  compend- 
ium of  the  Right  Rev.  Burchard,  Bishop  of  Worms, 
which  must  be  put  to  women,  are  the  following  (p. 
115) 

1.  “Fecisti  quod  qusedem  mulieres  solent,  quod- 
dam  molimen,  aut  machinamentum  in  modum  viri- 
lis  membri  ad  mensbram  tuse  voluptatis,  et  illud 
lodo  verendorum  tuorum  aut  alterius  cum  aliquibus 
ligaturiSjUtfornacationem  facereres  cum  aliis  mulieri- 
bus,  vel  alia  eodem  instrumento,  sive  alio  tecum 


294  THE  PJRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL. 

2.  Fecisti  quod  quaedem  mulieres  facere  sole^^ 
ut  jam  supra  dicto  moliinine,  vel  alio  aliquo  maclii- 
namento,  tu  ipsa  in  te  solam  faceres  fornica* 
tionem?” 

3.  Fecisti  quod  quaedam  mulieres  facere  sclent, 
quando  libidinem  se  vexantem  exinguere  volunt, 
quae  se  eonjungunt  quasi  coire  debeant  ut  possint, 
et  eonjungunt  invicem  puerperia  siia,  et  sic,  frb 
cando  pruritum  illarum  extinguere  desiderant?  ” 

4.  ‘‘Fecisti  quod  quaedam  mulieres  facere  sclent, 
ut  succumberes  aliquo  jumento  et  illiud  jumentum 
ad  coitum  quolicumque  posses  ingenio,  ut  sic  coiret 
tecum  ? ” 

The  celebrated  Debr^yne  has  written  a whole 
book,  composed  of  the  most  incredible  details  of 
impurities,  to  instruct  the  young  confessors  in  the 
art  of  questioning  their  penitents.  The  name  of 
the  book  is  “ Moechialogy,  ” or  “ Treaty  on  all  the 
sins  against  the  sixth  (seventh)  and  the  ninth  com- 
mandments, as  well  as  on  all  the  questions  of  the 
married  life  which  refer  to  them.” 

That  work  is  much  approved  and  studied  in  the 
Church  of  Rome.  I do  not  know  that  the  world 
has  ever  seen  anything  comparable  to  the  filthy  and 
infamous  details  of  that  book.  I will  cite  only  two 
of  the  questions  which  Debrdyne  wa^t8  tlie  con- 
fessor to  put  to  his  penitent : — 


THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL.  295 

Of  tlie  young  men  (page  95)  the  confessor  will 
^sk  : — 

‘‘Ad  cognoscenclum  an  usque  ad  pollutionein  se 
tetigerent,  quando  tempore  et  quo  fine  se  tetigerint ; 
An  tunc  quosdam  niotus  in  corpore  expert!  fuerint, 
et  per  quantum  temporis  spatium ; an  cessantibus 
tactibus,  nihil  insolitum  et  turpe  accideret ; an  non 
longe  majorem  in  compore  voluptatem  perceperint 
in  fine  tactuum  quam  in  eorum  principio ; an  turn 
'in  fine  quando  magnam  delectationem  carnalem 
sensuerunt,  omnes  motus  corporis  cessaverint;  an 
non  madefacti  fuerint?  ” &c.,  &c. 

Of  the  girl  the  confessor  will  ask: — 

“Quae  sese  tetegisse  fatentur,  an  non  aliquem 
puritum  extinguere  entaverint,  et  utrum  pruritus 
ille  cessaverit  cam  magnum  senserint  voluptatem ; 
an  tunc,  ipsimet  tactus  cessaverint  ?”  &c.,  &c. 

The  Eight  Eev.  Kenrick,  late  Bishop  of  Boston, 
United  States,  in  his  book  for  the  teaching  of  con- 
fessors on  what  matters  they  must  question  their 
penitents,  has  the  following,  which  I select  among 
thousands  as  impure  and  damnable  to  the  soul  and 
body: — 

“ Uxor  quae,  in  usu  matrimonii,  se  vertit,  ut  non 
yecipiat  semen,  vel  statim  post  illud  acceptum  sur- 
git  ut  expellatur,  lethalitur  peccat ; sed  opus  non 
est  ut  diu  zosupina  jaceat,  quum  matrix,  brevi, 


296  THE  PRIEST,  WOMAN  AND  CONFESSIONAL, 


semen  attraliat,  et  mox,  arctissime  claudatur. 
(Yol.  iii.,  p.  317.) 

‘‘Pullae  patienti  licet  se  vertere,  et  conari  ut  non 
recipiat  semen,  quod  injuria  ei  immittitur;  sed> 
exceptum,  non  licet  expellere,  quia  jam  possess' 
ionem  pacificam  liabet,  et  Laud  absque  injuria 
naturae  ejiceretur.”  (Tom.  iii.,  p.  317.) 

‘‘  Conjuges  senes  plerumque  coeunt  absque  culpa, 
licet  contingat  semen  extra  vas  efFundi;  id_enim 
per  accidens  fit  ex  imfirmitate  naturae.  Quod  si 
v^res  adeo  sint  fractae  ut  nullo  sit  seminandi  intri 
vas  sp^»,  jam  nequeunt  jure  conjugii  utf  (Tom* 
iii.,  p.  317.) 


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OPINIONS  OF  THE  PRESS 


The  Golden  Rule,  Boston; 

“ Protestants  will  do  well  to  bear  in  mind  the  warning  of  Father 
Chiniquy,  who  tells  us  that  ‘the  priests  of  Rome  themselves  boast 
that  more  than  half  of  the  pupils  of  the  nuns  are  the  children  of  Pro- 
testants, and  that  seven-tenths  of  those  Protestant  children,  sooner  or 
later,  become  the  firmest  disciples  and  the  true  pillars  of  popery  in 
the  United  States.’  ” 

The  Pulpit  Treasury,  New  York: 

“ The  number  of  editions  through  which  this  book  has  passed 
is  sufficient  evidence  of  its  popularity.  The  hypocrisy,  depravity 
and  consummate  villiany  which  it  exposes  render  its  statements 
almost  incredible.  But  the  author  has  been  behind  the  scenes  and 
knows  whereof  he  writes.” 

The  Central  Baptist,  St.  Louis; 

“ The  revelations  of  this  volume  are  thrilling  and  startling.  They 
form  the  testimony  of  an  eye-witness  v ho  for  fifty  years  was  a mem- 
ber of  the  so-called  Church  of  Rome.  The  Catholics  will,  of  course, 
try  to  throw  discredit  upon  its  statements,  and  will  impugn  the  ver- 
acity of  its  author  But  after  all  the  matter  resolves  itself  into  a 
question  of  credible  testimony,  and  the  statements  of  the  author  of 
this  book  cannot  be  justly  called  into  question.  The  book  has  been 
translated  into  a number  of  languages,  and  has  found  a ready  sale  in 
Great  Britain,  Canada,  Australia,  New  Zealand,  France,  Spain  and 
Italy.  In  the  United  States  it  has  reached  its  twenty-ninth  edition. 
It  should  not  be  read  simply  from  idle  curiosity,  but  from  a desire  to 
learn  facts  which  are  industriously  withheld  from  the  public  by  the 
Catholics.” 

Sower  and  Mission  Monthly,  New  York: 

“ Its  revelations  are  appalling.  It  is  a terrible  indictment  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church.  Unsuspecting  Protestants  will  do  well  to 
read  this  volume.  The  author  is  a man  who  spent  his  life,  since  his 
emancipation  from  the  slavery  of  Rome,  in  tearing  off  the  veil  which 
covers  abominations.  He  shows  the  canker  eating  into  the  vitals  of 
the  nation.  Every  Protestant  minister  should  read  this  book.’’ 

The  Protestant  Standard,  Philadelphia  : 

“ No  book  ever  published  gives  such  an  insight  into  the  demora- 
lizing character  of  the  confessional  as  ‘ The  Priest,  the  Woman,  and 
the  Confessional.’  It  should  be  read  by  every  father  and  mother  in 
the  land.  The  book  has  had  a mission  for  good  everywhere.” 

The  Christian  Standard: 

“ It  is  a remarkable  work.  It  gives  such  an  insight  into  the  enor- 
mities of  the  Confessional  as  has  never  perhaps  been  given  before. 
The  waiter  speaks  from  his  own  experience  and  personal  knowledge 
as  a Roman  Catholic  priest.” 

The  Record: 

” Painful  and  horrible  are  words  too  weak  to  express  the  things 
which  he  relates — things  enough  to  rouse  the  stones  to  cry  out 
against  a system  which  brings  forth  such  apples  of  Sodom  and  deadly 
poison  to  the  Church,  the  family,  society  and  the  soul.” 

The  Coleraine  Chronicle: 

“ Mr.  Chiniquy  is  eminently  qualified,  both  by  experience  and 
reading,  to  state  what  the  Confessional  really  is;  and  we  hesitate  not 
to  say  that  he  has  produced  one  of  the  most  thrilling  books  with 
which  we  are  acquainted.” 


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